Kapetanović calls for faster regional cooperation against organised crime

Podgorica – Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Amer Kapetanović, took part today in the Berlin Process Interior Ministers’ Meeting, held on 15–16 September at Vila Gorica in Podgorica under Montenegro’s 2026 Chairmanship of the Berlin Process. Kapetanović addressed the first session, Strengthening Resilience against Organised Crime, which brought together representatives of the Western Balkans Six, the European Commission and partners to discuss stronger cooperation in tackling serious and organised crime.

“Every shipment stopped in our region is a shipment that never has to be stopped in Vienna, Berlin, Paris or London. This is not only helpful for the region, but security for all of us. Criminals cooperate across our boundaries without joint statements. Let us cooperate at least as fast,” said Kapetanović. He also called for better use of regional evidence to identify security gaps and priority needs, closer attention to ports and insider risks, stronger links between personnel, information and digital security, and further use of existing regional cooperation on firearms control.

The session, chaired by Minister of Interior of Montenegro Danilo Šaranović, besides Kapetanović brought together representatives of the Western Balkans Six, Anisa Ruseti, Deputy Minister of Interior; Bakir Dautbašić, Secretary General of the Ministry of Security; Genc Metaj, Secretary General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Sasho Petrushevski, State Secretary; Dejan Luković, Assistant Police Director for Special and Specialised Units at the Ministry of Interior; alongside Bernd Krosser, State Secretary, and Olivier Onidi, Deputy Director-General at the European Commission’s DG HOME, delivering introductory remarks ahead of the discussion.
Kapetanović highlighted that the evidence gathered through RCC’s latest SecuriMeter shows that 81% of citizens surveyed believe corruption is widespread, while concern about organised crime stands at 72%.

Kapetanović also stressed the need to protect transport and logistics networks from criminal exploitation as the region works to facilitate legitimate trade and mobility. He pointed to the importance of cooperation among police, customs and logistics operators, as well as to the experience built through the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap and cooperation with South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons - SEESAC in addressing firearms-related security risks.

The RCC will take the discussion further at its JUMBO Regional Security Conference in Tirana this November, bringing practitioners and partners together to examine how support is reaching institutions, where gaps remain and where stronger regional coordination is needed.