Zagreb - Ministers Nuhodžić and Božinović agreed: the police of Montenegro and Republic of Croatia cooperate perfectly; there can even be stronger cooperation, especially in the fight against mass migrations

Ministers of the Interior of Montenegro and the Republic of Croatia, Mevludin Nuhodžić and Davor Božinović, noted in Zagreb today that the Ministries of the Interior and the police of the two neighboring and friendly countries cooperate perfectly at the daily operational level, which yields concrete results, but that co-operation should be further strengthened to meet the new challenges especially mass migration.

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"Cooperation between Ministries of the Interior and the police of Montenegro and Croatia is at an enviable level. The operational and daily cooperation of the border and criminal police has resulted in operational actions related to drug trafficking, "said Minister Nuhodžić in Zagreb at the end of his first official visit to the Republic of Croatia, where he was invited by Minister Božinović.

Minister Nuhodžić said that the meeting also discussed deepening and further enhancing cooperation in global phenomena such as migration and radicalism.

"Our cooperation so far promises that we will respond adequately to all these challenges both globally and to those that are only challenging for Croatia and Montenegro. Especially at this moment we have in our focus the illegal migration "- said our Minister.

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Minister of the Interior of Croatia Davor Božinović said that today’s meeting was also about this topic.

"Migration is a global challenge that at this moment is preoccupying the entire European Union, and also the Southeast Europe. The fact is that this year we are recording an increase in migration movements from Turkey to Greece, this year more than 18 thousand, which put burden on its reception capacities, and a part of the migrants continues along the so called Western Balkan migration route "- Minister Božinović said and added that there is a certain increase in illegal migrants coming to Bosnia and Herzegovina via Albania, Montenegro and Serbia.

Minister Nuhodžić thanked the host for the assistance of the Republic of Croatia to Montenegro in the process of European integration, while the host announced the continuation of such practice.

"In the new Enlargement Strategy, the European Union has defined the issue of security and migration as one of the priority areas of cooperation with the countries of Southeast Europe. We are ready to help Montenegro precisely to meet these conditions, because helping Montenegro and Albania and other countries that are our immediate neighbors at the same time means helping the European Union and Croatia. Among the candidates for membership in the European Union, the package of measures proposed in the new Enlargement Strategy envisages strengthening the capacities of the border police, harmonizing with the European law in the area of migrations, asylum and visas, strengthening of reception capacities, more consistent implementation of readmission agreements and recently conclusion of status agreements with Frontex, concluded Minister Davor Božinović. "