Ministerieel Forum over samenwerking EU en Westerse Balkan op het gebied van Binnenlandse Zaken en Justitie (en)

Cooperation in the field of home affairs and justice between the Western Balkan countries and the European Union was the topic of the Ministerial Forum, held on 3-4 October in Ohrid in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

The meeting was attended by Jerzy Miller, Polish Minister of Interior and Administration, and Igor Dzialuk, Polish Undersecretary at the Ministry of Justice, as well as interior and justice ministers from Western Balkan countries and Cecillia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Francoise Le Bail, Director General for Justice in the EC.

The main topic of the discussion was cooperation in the field of home affairs and justice between the Western Balkan countries and the European Union, in particular issues concerning visas and migration, border protection and combating organised crime and corruption.

During the conference, the latest data was presented on the monitoring mechanism after visa liberalisation for the countries of the region. Western Balkan countries have shown how they are making every effort to ensure that the visa liberalisation process was not disrupted. The need for close cooperation for the mechanism not to be abused was emphasised.

The good cooperation for the protection of borders, as well as the cooperation of the region with the Frontex i Agency was also discussed. The issue of combating illegal migration was also discussed and recent problems faced by EU Member States in this area as well as actions taken by countries in the region were presented.

An important point of the conference was the issue of cooperation in combating organised crime, including trafficking. Both the EU and Western Balkan countries indicated that crime knows no borders and only shared activity and increased efforts in this area will help to reduce this phenomenon.

One of the topics discussed was the issue of corruption. Enhanced cooperation between the EU and Western Balkan countries, mainly in raising awareness and increasing the role of civil society, should contribute to combating this phenomenon.

Artur Koziolek - Presidency Spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior and Administration