SARAJEVO – Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs, Ivica Dačić, announced the adoption and signing of a Joint Action Plan to combat terrorism and violent extremism in the Western Balkans at the EU – Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Internal Affairs in Sarajevo. “The traditional meeting of the European Union and Western Balkans partners in the fields of internal affairs and justice is currently taking place here. Today, there was a gathering of interior ministers. I utilized this opportunity for a bilateral discussion with Commissioner for Internal Affairs Bruner, who has replaced the previous commissioner with whom we had strong relations; this was our first meeting,” Dačić stated in a press release.
Dačić extended an invitation to Bruner for a visit, detailing the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ reform agenda and cooperation with various agencies present, including Europol, Frontex, and the Drug Enforcement Agency. He highlighted his subsequent meeting with Frontex Director Hans Leijtens, underscoring the importance of their partnership in border protection concerning illegal migration. “This served as an introduction to the conference, which consisted of several parts, with the first focusing on online threats related to terrorism, extremism, and organized crime,” he noted. The second topic addressed was the fight against irregular migration, discussing integrated border management for improved oversight.
Dačić emphasized that the recently adopted Joint Action Plan reflects the compliance with a regional representation agreement established over a decade ago. “This means it is status-neutral, with no mention of the Republic of Kosovo, reinforcing the principle of equality based on individual identity rather than any terms that could affect status resolution. We do not collaborate operationally with Kosovo on data exchange, including biometric information, as that would indicate recognition of their independence. It is crucial to clarify this to prevent misinterpretations of our participation in these joint gatherings, as Kosovo is a partner without resolved statehood,” Dačić asserted. He reacted to remarks from (Dželjalj) Svečlja, who criticized Serbia’s leadership, pointing out Svečlja’s past affiliation with the terrorist group Kosovo Liberation Army. The chairperson supported Dačić’s emphasis on status neutrality regarding Kosovo’s representation, which must not imply statehood attributes.
Minister Dačić also noted that Serbia has received commendation for its policy on combating illegal migration and announced a meeting of the global alliance against irregular migration set for December. (October 30)
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