OSCE initiative against organized crime in South-Eastern Europe

ZAGREB, 23 November 1999 - On 23-24 November a working meeting on the "OSCE Organized Crime Initiative in South-Eastern Europe" is taking place in Zagreb. With this initiative, which is being undertaken within the framework of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, the OSCE will take an active role in co-ordinating efforts to combat this problem.

In his address at the recent OSCE summit in Istanbul, the Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister Knut Vollebaek of Norway, stressed the importance of tackling the crime of trafficking in human beings. He asked the OSCE Mission to Croatia to take the lead in establishing a task force to address the issue of organized crime.

As the problem of organized crime has grown in South-Eastern Europe, its damaging effects have included the undermining of the development of democratic states in the countries of transition. The fruits of organized crime have given powerful forces the economic strength and political influence that have enabled them to undermine the rule of law which is the foundation of a democratic society. Cross-border criminal activity is increasingly becoming a security concern also for well-established democracies in Western Europe.

The primary responsibility for combating organized crime rests with the authorities at the national level. However, given the international scale of organized crime, it is necessary for added weight to be put behind national law enforcement agencies. An effective strategy must embrace all of the relevant countries in the region. In the case of trafficking of human beings, both the countries of origin and the countries of destination must be included in an over-arching co-operative effort at the political and operational levels.

The working meeting in Zagreb will discuss a comprehensive regional strategy against organized crime, with a view to the implementation of a task force on trafficking in South-Eastern Europe. This is envisaged as the first of several task forces dealing with the different types of organized crime in the region.

The OSCE will present the results of this working level meeting to the governments of the region, with a view to gaining their active involvement in the initiative, and with the hope that Croatia will be an important partner in a constructive contribution to the Stability Pact.