News Archive
25 May 2026 | News
IISG Board welcomes its future integration into RCC security portfolio
The 8th Board Meeting of the Integrative Internal Security Governance Initiative (IISG), held in Sarajevo on 19 May 2026, marked an important milestone for regional security cooperation in the Western Balkans Six, as the Board members took note and welcomed the future integration of IISG into RCC security portfolio. The meeting was co-chaired by Pavle Janković, Head of Political Department ...
30 April 2026 | News
IISG consultations in Sarajevo focus on Joint Action Plan roadmap implementation
Sarajevo – The Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) held consultations with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s governance structures under the Western Balkan Counter-Terrorism initiative (WBCTi) on 30 April 2026, as part of the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Security Governance Hub activities.
29 April 2026 | News
IISG consultations in Sarajevo focus on cybersecurity coordination and resilience
Sarajevo – Representatives of the Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) held consultations with institutions responsible for cybersecurity governance in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) headquarters in Sarajevo, focusing on cybersecurity needs, strategic planning and donor coordination.
24 April 2026 | News
IISG consultations in Tirana advance regional security cooperation and evidence-based governance
The Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) representatives held consultations with Albanian security governance institutions in Tirana as part of its regular engagement with Western Balkan Six partners and ongoing activities under the Regional Cooperation Council’s Security Governance Hub.
23 April 2026 | News
The 19th meeting of the RNNC in Tirana
Tirana – The 19th meeting of the Regional Network of National Counter-Terrorism and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Coordinators (RNNC) was held on 22–23 April 2026 in Tirana, bringing together representatives of the Western Balkans Six, European Union (EU) institutions and international organisations.
15 October 2025 | News
Regional coordinators in Skopje prepare implementation roadmaps for new Joint Action Plan
Skopje – The Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) organised a coordinators’ meeting and the 18th meeting of the Regional Network of National Counter-Terrorism and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Coordinators (RNNC) on 14–15 October 2025 in Skopje.
30 July 2025 | News
IISG regional meeting in Tirana advances cooperation against serious and organised crime
Tirana – The Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) organised the Regional Pillar Support Group Meeting under the Western Balkan Counter-Serious Crime initiative (WBCSCi) on 29–30 July 2025 in Tirana.
23 July 2025 | News
IISG regional meeting in Bar advances cooperation under the Border Security Pillar
Bar – The Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) organised the Regional Pillar Support Group Meeting under the Western Balkan Border Security initiative (WBBSi) on 22–23 July 2025 in Bar.
02 July 2025 | News
Kapetanovic Calls for Stronger Regional Cooperation against Cyber Threats
Podgorica – The High-Level Western Balkans Cybersecurity Conference – CyberPulse 2025: Tracking Progress, Building Resilience, Driving Change – kicked off today in Podgorica, gathering government representatives, regional and EU institutions, cybersecurity experts, and private sector leaders to address the growing threat of cyberattacks across the region.
25 June 2025 | News
IISG regional working group in Skopje advances counter-terrorism cooperation
Skopje – The Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) organised the Regional Pillar Support Group Meeting under the Western Balkan Counter-Terrorism initiative (WBCTi) on 24–25 June 2025 in Skopje.
11 April 2025 | News
Regional coordinators in Podgorica advance joint action on counter-terrorism and violent extremism
Podgorica – The Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) organised the 17th meeting of the Regional Network of National Counter-Terrorism and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Coordinators (RNNC) on 10–11 April 2025 in Podgorica.
02 April 2025 | News
Regional cybersecurity meeting advances cooperation and development of new IISG pillar
Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), in cooperation with the European Commission, organised a regional cybersecurity meeting bringing together representatives of the Western Balkans Six, European Union (EU) institutions, EU Delegations and other cybersecurity stakeholders.
15 October 2024 | News
Regional coordinators in Sarajevo discuss emerging terrorism and violent extremism threats
Sarajevo – The 16th meeting of the Regional Network of National Counter-Terrorism and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Coordinators (RNNC) was held on 15 October 2024 in Sarajevo, bringing together representatives of the Western Balkans Six, the European Union (EU), regional organisations and international partners.
28 May 2024 | News
IISG consultations in Skopje focus on security mapping and cybersecurity cooperation
Skopje – The Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) held thematic consultations with institutions from North Macedonia on 27 May 2024 to advance the third annual response mapping, initiate the second needs mapping process and discuss further development of the IISG Database.
17 May 2024 | News
IISG consultations in Sarajevo focus on security needs mapping and database development
Sarajevo – The Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) held thematic consultations in Sarajevo to complete the third Annual Response Mapping Report, initiate the second needs mapping process and further develop the IISG Database.
03 May 2024 | News
IISG consultations in Pristina address regional security needs
Pristina – The Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) held thematic consultations in Pristina, bringing together representatives from its three pillars: the Western Balkan Counter-Terrorism initiative (WBCTi), the Western Balkan Countering Serious Crime initiative (WBCSCi) and the Western Balkan Border Security initiative (WBBSi).
19 April 2024 | News
IISG consultations in Podgorica to discuss regional security priorities and cooperation
Podgorica - Representatives of the Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) met with Montenegro’s State Secretary at the Ministry of Interior, Novica Obradovic, on 19 April 2024 as part of thematic consultations with Western Balkans Six partners.
18 April 2024 | News
IISG consultations in Tirana advance regional security needs and response mapping
Tirana – IISG launched thematic consultations with Western Balkans Six partners to complete the third annual response mapping and initiate the second needs mapping process.
17 April 2024 | News
15th meeting of the RNNC held in Tirana
Tirana – The 15th meeting of the Regional Network of National Counter-Terrorism and Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Coordinators (RNNC), organised by the Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG), was held in Tirana.
08 February 2024 | News
RCC and IISG strengthen regional security cooperation during meetings in Belgrade
Belgrade – Amer Kapetanović, Head of the Political Department at the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), and Agron Sojati, Head of the Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) Secretariat, met with State Secretary at the Ministry of Interior of Serbia Danilo Stevandić to discuss regional security cooperation and the further development of the IISG framework.
30 January 2024 | News
RCC's IISG joins joint strategic cooperation forum on organised crime and terrorism
The Hague – Head of the Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) Secretariat Agron Sojati participated in the Joint Strategic Cooperation Forum for the Training and Operational Partnership against Organised Crime (TOPCOP) and Western Balkans Partnership against Crime and Terrorism (WB PaCT) projects, held on 30–31 January 2024 at the headquarters of the European Union Agency ...
18 November 2022 | News
Bregu: 82.9% of Western Balkan citizens agree that regional cooperation can help in improving economic resilience
Rome/Sarajevo – “The EU and the Western Balkans share many evolving, borderless security threats, from radicalisation, violent extremism, and return of Foreign Terrorist Fighters to irregular migration, organised crime, corruption, disinformation and cyber-attacks. Such joint priorities have been re-validated by the war in Ukraine by also making clear the important role of ...
08 November 2021 | News
70% of Western Balkan citizens believe that incoming migrants are a security risk
RCC organised a webinar on Paradigm Change in Afghanistan to discuss possible implications for South East Europe Sarajevo - “Mismanagement of the sudden large influx of migrants in the Western Balkans has likely contributed to the fact that 70% of Western Balkan citizens believe that incoming migrants are a security risk, according to RCC’s Securimeter. There is no reason to ...
24 May 2021 | News
Bregu: 70% of Western Balkans citizens are afraid their children or young relatives might be radicalised online
Sarajevo – “The current global pandemic made it clear that security threats are not taking any time off. The region finds it very important to work on addressing the security challenges in the Western Balkans. It is quite interesting that 55% of those 82% who point out organised crime as the main security threat say it is corruption that fuels its existence,” said Secretary ...
23 May 2021 | News
RCC to present Western Balkans SecuriMeter - the first-ever regional Public Opinion Survey on Security
Sarajevo - The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) with support of Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will present the first-ever regional Public Opinion Survey on Security issues – Western Balkans SecuriMeter on Monday, 24 May 2021, starting at 10:00 CET. The presentation can be followed on Zoom and live on RCC social media channels, Youtube and Facebook. ...
02 February 2021 | News
Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) holds its 5th Board meeting for the first time under the RCC umbrella
Sarajevo – The Western Balkan interior ministers adopted the annual work plan and the two methodologies of the Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG), and also approved the membership of seven new IISG partners at the fifth meeting of the IISG Board held for the first time under the umbrella of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in Sarajevo today.
20 November 2020 | News
Over-securitisation of illegal immigration can be dangerous, but neglecting its detrimental potential can be equally dangerous too
Sarajevo – “Illegal immigration is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon which no single country can fix alone. We should take into account the opinion of 63% of Western Balkan citizens who perceive it as a direct security threat. Over-securitisation of this issue can be dangerous, but neglecting its detrimental potential can be equally dangerous too. Currently, bilateral and regional ...
05 December 2019 | News
RCC: We need dynamic regional responses to modern security challenges
Trieste – “83% of Europeans agree that fake news is a threat to democracy, yet it has become a new normalcy, sitting between a freedom of speech and freedom to hate. Fake news is vastly contributing to hate speech which adds fuel to the fire of nationalism and violent extremism, especially on social media. That is a path towards youth radicalisation, a global problem, to which ...
18 November 2019 | News
RCC takes IISG – Western Balkans’ internal security governance platform under its wing
Skopje – “We will be bigger. As of next year the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) will coordinate one of the most important agendas of the region: security. Security threats do not need any visa or border checks”, said the RCC's Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu after today’s 4th meeting of the Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) Board, held in Skopje, ...
12 April 2019 | News
Social media might become prime way of radicalization of young people in the years to come
Budva – Online radicalization in South East Europe (SEE) and ways to deal with this global phenomenon on the regional level are the main topics at the regional Workshop on prevention of online radicalization, being held in Budva today.
06 December 2018 | News
Svilanovic: Cyber security became new hotspot and serious challenge at global, regional and local level
Istanbul – The Third Regional Coordination Conference for Counter-Terrorism (CT) and Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) in South East Europe (SEE), organized by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in cooperation with the Government and the Ministry of Interior of Turkey, together with Integrative Internal Security Governance Initiative (IISG), opened in Istanbul, ...
25 October 2018 | News
RCC hosts workshop for Western Balkans journalists on media coverage of terrorism and violent extremism topics
Budva - The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) hosts a Regional Workshop on media coverage of violent extremism-related topics for journalists from the Western Balkans, in Budva, Montenegro, today.
19 October 2018 | News
RCC organises regional workshop for journalists from the Western Balkans on media coverage of terrorism and violent extremism topics
Budva - The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is organising a Regional Workshop on media coverage of violent extremism-related topics for journalists from the Western Balkans, on 25 October 2018, in Budva, Montenegro.
18 October 2018 | News
RCC Board meets for the 35th time
Sarajevo – The Board of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) met for the 35th time at the organisations’ Secretariat in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina today.
03 October 2018 | News
Svilanovic: Trained security practitioners are invaluable in prevention and countering of violent extremism and radicalization in Western Balkans
Skopje - A seminar on prevention and countering of violent extremism (P/CVE) in the Western Balkans (WB) gathering security practitioners from the region and distinguished regional and international lecturers is being held in Skopje today. The seminar has been organised by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior of The Former Yugoslav Republic of ...
18 September 2018 | News
Sarajevo: Students from BiH universities discuss early signs of radicalisation among youth and its prevention
Sarajevo – Close to 50 students from various Universities across Bosnia and Herzegovina gathered in BiH capital today at the one-day Workshop, organised by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) at Faculty for Criminalistics, Criminology and Security Studies of University of Sarajevo, to discuss the early signs of radicalisation in their local communities, vulnerable targeted ...
30 May 2018 | News
Combating terrorism and violent extremism cannot be done without full support of judicial institutions
Tirana – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and Albanian Ministry of Justice are hosting a regional workshop on law enforcement/judicial services and state attorneys/prosecutors in dealing with terrorism and violent extremism and connected crimes, in Tirana today. It gathers judges, prosecutors and experts from the Western Balkans, guests from the international organisations ...
29 March 2018 | News
RCC: Ljubljana hosts 3-day training for young diplomats and SEENSA meeting
Ljubljana – Personnel security and awareness raising issues were the main topics of the South East European National Security Authorities (SEENSA) expert working group meeting, which was hosted by the Republic of Slovenia’s Government Office for the Protection of Classified Information (NSA) and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in Ljubljana today.
30 November 2017 | News
RCC: Second Regional Coordination Conference for Counter-Terrorism and Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism opens in Brdo pri Kranju
Svilanovic: Departures from the region to Syria and Iraq almost completely stopped by mid-2016 Brdo near Kranj – Second Regional Coordination Conference for Counter-Terrorism (CT) and Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) in South East Europe (SEE), discussing the enhancement of cooperation and coordination of CT and P/CVE programmes and activities in the region, commenced ...
16 December 2016 | News
Justice and Home Affairs discussed at EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum
Brdo pri Kranju/Sarajevo - Efficiency and cooperation of judiciaries, operational cooperation in matters such as migration, border management and internal security, including counter-terrorism and firearms trafficking were the main topics discussed at the EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs held under Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Brdo ...