EULEX: Goal of protocol is fighting crime efficiently

The protocol on police cooperation that the EULEX mission will soon sign with Serbian Interior Ministry (MUP) and the police of several other countries is aimed at improving information exchange in the fight against organized and cross border crime and other illegal activities, EULEX officials have said.

(KosovoCompromise Staff) Monday, August 17, 2009

"Information exchange should result in fighting crime more efficiently in the region, and information obtained this way will be made available also to the Kosovo police", the EULEX release notes.

"EULEX believes that organized crime, illegal crossings of the border or administrative line and trafficking are regional issues that national police services cannot resolve by themselves", the release says.

In these sectors, EULEX is empowered to pursue criminals and take them to face justice in Kosovo courts.

These issues have been discussed with colleagues in Skopje, Tirana and Podgorica and preliminary agreements have been reached.

The contacts will be pursued in the coming weeks, the release says.

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said  Sunday that  cooperation of the Serbian police with the international bodies in Kosovo, UNMIK and EULEX, is necessary in fight against criminal groups that cross the administrative line, terrorism, drug and arms trafficking, smuggling and other crimes.