Serbia signs cooperation agreement with EUROPOL

Ivica Dacic (Photo: Mc.rs)

Ivica Dacic, Serbia's prime minister and interior minister, and Europol Director Rob Wainwright signed on Thursday an operational agreement between Serbia and that organization of police bodies of EU member states, which enables Serbia to exchange data with European police, Tanjug news agency has reported.

Dacic and Wainwright explained that this signing proves that, with its capacities and results, Serbia reached the level that opens up the opportunity for the country to be part of various communication channels and operations that Europol is carrying out with EU member states.

According to Dacic, as of today, Serbia will have a liaison officer at the seat of Europol in the the Hague, who will represent one of the commucation channels with European police.

- We have managed to complete everything that was set before us. We have established a secure line of communication. Besides that, together with state and independent bodies dealing with personal data protection, we have tried to ensure that the proposed solutions respect the need for security of police communication - Dacic explained.

Serbian police has so far cooperated with Europol "on call" in operations aimed at countering migration, the counterfeit of money and pay cards, drug trafficking, stealing of vehicles, the interior minister noted.

- Serbia has achieved very significant results in the fight against crime and corruption and, together with the progress in the dialogue with Pristina, those were the two big pluses that the EU recognized as a big reason for the positive decision on the opening of accession negotiations. Further steps, which will be taken in the first half of February, will be the arrival of an expert group that will do an analysis of Chapters 23 and 24 and give recommendations for their opening - Dacic said.

- By signing this agreement, Serbia joined the family of European peoples that are combating organized crime in a more efficient way. As of today, Serbia will fully engage in the operational work of the central European police service which is the main one and in charge of the fight against organized crime and terrorism in the EU - Wainwright said.

As of today, Serbia will exchange operational intelligence data with Europol members, but also be a partner in the fight against the most dangerous criminals and criminal groups operating in Europe.

This means that citizens of Europe and Serbia are much more secure as of today, Wainwright concluded.