Minister Nuhodžić calls for stronger cooperation between EU and WB countries in fighting illegal trade of arms

Minister of the Interior Mevludin Nuhodžić said today in London that Montenegro, as a responsible state, is strongly committed to fighting organised crime and terrorism and preventing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, and therefore calls for closer cooperation between the countries of the European Union and the Western Balkans in the fight against illegal trade weapons.

I am convinced that joint activities at the regional and international level, as we witness today, can effectively respond to transnational threats and security challenges. In that sense, we support the adoption of the Roadmap for a sustainable solution to combat illicit possession, misuse and trade in small arms and light weapons in the Western Balkans, which confirms the importance of profiling regional priorities towards an integrated and comprehensive approach, as well as a more proactive fight against arms trade, Minister Nuhodžić said at the meeting attended by Interior Ministers of the Western Balkans and the European Union, representatives of the European Commission and international organisations, at the invitation of Home Secretary Sajid Javid.

Recalling that Podgorica hosted a regional conference on small arms and light weapons in early February this year, Minister Nuhodžić said that our country supports all European and regional initiatives aimed at raising the level of security, and especially the efforts of France and Germany to coordinate the fight against illegal trade of weapons in the Western Balkans.

Montenegro is ready, together with the countries of the Western Balkans and the EU, to participate actively in all activities in order to overcome the challenges that illicit trade in firearms represents. The Ministry of the Interior is committed to providing full contribution to promoting the collection and exchange of information through the participation in joint coordinated police actions, as well as further strengthening of operational police cooperation with partner offices from the Region and EU member states, Minister Nuhodžić said at the meeting held on the eve of tomorrow's Fifth Summit of the WB6 leaders.

Today's meeting was also an opportunity to exchange views on modalities for enhancing cooperation in the fight against organised crime, human trafficking, high-tech crime, terrorism and violent extremism and the prevention of corruption. The Ministers of the Interior of the Western Balkan countries have signed a Declaration on the principles of cooperation in the field of information exchange between the law enforcement agencies.