Task Force Mirage Regional Meetings
Within the frame of Task Force on combating Trafficking of Human Beings and Illegal Migration, so called “Task Force Mirage”, the SECI Center, in cooperation with the authorities from the Participating States, organized and held two Regional Meetings - on 29 September in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Hertzegovina and Kastoria, Hellenic Republic on 4 October.
It is generally agreed among the SECI States that trafficking of human beings and, especially, illegal migration, are identified and considered as serious threat to the security of the region. Progressively, Southeast Europe became a place of origin, transit and destination for traffickers and their victims.
During a long time process of evaluation and investigation, the national experts from SECI States have established that the are three main routes that are used by criminal elements while organizing channels and flows of trafficking of human beings (THB) and illegal migration in the region. Based on this expertise, there have been agreed among the SECI States to split operative work in three Groups of Countries, mainly following the routes of migration, as follows:
National representatives of Ministries of Interior, including Criminal and Border Police, the Offices of the Prosecutor as well as the SECI Center’s Management and Experts attended the event. During the two meetings held within the frame of Group No. 2 (in Sarajevo) and the Group No. 3 (in Kastoria), the officials in charge with the issues of fighting against THB and illegal migration as well the experts proceed to a large panel of exchanging information and expertise, there have been identified and proposed for further implementation several forms of practical cooperation between the SECI States in order to make more efficient the fight against this form of crime in the region.
The participants agreed that the THB and illegal migration became more sophisticated and complex in the last few years throughout the region and have stressed for a more active and efficient cooperation among the SECI States by using operative channels established at the SECI Center and by organizing periodical meetings within the frame of the established Groups of Countries. The participants to the meetings discussed and recommended that SECI would take a led role in coordinating particular international investigation cases linked to the THB and illegal migration.
It is generally agreed among the SECI States that trafficking of human beings and, especially, illegal migration, are identified and considered as serious threat to the security of the region. Progressively, Southeast Europe became a place of origin, transit and destination for traffickers and their victims.
During a long time process of evaluation and investigation, the national experts from SECI States have established that the are three main routes that are used by criminal elements while organizing channels and flows of trafficking of human beings (THB) and illegal migration in the region. Based on this expertise, there have been agreed among the SECI States to split operative work in three Groups of Countries, mainly following the routes of migration, as follows:
- Group No. 1: Romania, Moldova and Hungary
- Group No. 2: Bosnia and Hertegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia
- Group No. 3: Albania, Bulgaria, FYR of Macedonia, Greece and Turkey
National representatives of Ministries of Interior, including Criminal and Border Police, the Offices of the Prosecutor as well as the SECI Center’s Management and Experts attended the event. During the two meetings held within the frame of Group No. 2 (in Sarajevo) and the Group No. 3 (in Kastoria), the officials in charge with the issues of fighting against THB and illegal migration as well the experts proceed to a large panel of exchanging information and expertise, there have been identified and proposed for further implementation several forms of practical cooperation between the SECI States in order to make more efficient the fight against this form of crime in the region.
The participants agreed that the THB and illegal migration became more sophisticated and complex in the last few years throughout the region and have stressed for a more active and efficient cooperation among the SECI States by using operative channels established at the SECI Center and by organizing periodical meetings within the frame of the established Groups of Countries. The participants to the meetings discussed and recommended that SECI would take a led role in coordinating particular international investigation cases linked to the THB and illegal migration.
