Regional Forum Seeks to Improve Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters

The Regional Forum on Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters: Revision of Bilateral Treaties Between Montenegro and The Countries of the Region took place on 16-17 December 2019 in the Avala Hotel in Budva, Montenegro and was organized by the Ministry of Justice of Montenegro, in cooperation with IPA/2017 Countering Serious Crime in the Western Balkans Project, the US Embassy and International Development Law Orgnisation (IDLO).

The Forum was the seventh meeting of this kind in Montenegro and the third taking place as a Regional Judicial Cooperation Forum. It brought together representatives of Ministry of Justices, Prosecution Services and Courts from the Western Balkan countries and Croatia, as well as EU and regional experts, to discuss the challenges and opportunities for improving cooperation in criminal matters. This year the forum focused on joint investigation teams, cybercrime, war crimes, international projects and the academic community as support to judicial cooperation in criminal matters.

In addition to the above-mentioned topics, participants discussed the revision of bilateral treaties between Montenegro and the countries of the region, which will be adopted in the coming months.

The Regional Forum started with introductory speeches by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Montenegro Mr. Zoran Pažin, Ambassador of the USA to Montenegro Mrs. Judy Rising Reinke, IDLO Regional Program Manager Mrs. Margarita Meldon, and Seconded EU Prosecutor of the IPA/2017 Countering Serious Crime in Western Balkans Mr. Silvij Šinkovec.