At a ministerial conference, jointly organised by current SEECP-chair Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Stability Pact’s Organized Crime Fighting Initiative (SPOC), SEECP-Justice Ministers adopted the Sarajevo Declaration on 28 October.  In so doing, Ministers committed their Governments to bring their national instruments for fighting organised crime in line with the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.  This so-called Palermo Convention, signed in December 2000, entered into force in September 2003.  Key elements in this Convention oblige Governments to criminalise offences committed by organised crime groups, including corruption, obstruction of justice and money laundering in their national legislation.  Other obligations touch upon the protection of victims and of witnesses testifying against organised crime, as well as international co-operation, such as extradition and mutual legal assistance including the necessary protection of data exchanged between law enforcement agencies.  Special Co-ordinator Erhard Busek welcomed this important step by stating: “fighting organised crime is more than a judicial necessity, it is an image issue and directly linked to attracting investment.” Activities are undertaken in close co-operation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna.

The Sarajevo Ministerial Conference took place ahead (and as a preparatory step) of the Justice and Home Affairs ministerial conference scheduled for 28 November in Brussels of EU, EU-candidate and Western Balkan states.  It is proof of the recognition by SEE Governments that organised crime is a serious obstacle to rule of law, democracy, investment, regional stability and European rapprochement.

As organised crime and corruption are often referred to as “twins”, it is particularly noteworthy that the Regional Office of the Stability Pact Anti Corruption Initiative (SPAI) was inaugurated in Sarajevo just ahead of the ministerial conference.

The first joint ministerial meeting of the Stability Pact and South East European Co-operation Process (SEECP), under its BiH chairmanship, was held in June 2003.  At the time, Ministers of the Interior focused on data protection and processing of data to foster speedy communication between relevant crime-fighting institutions.

Sarajevo Declaration of the Ministers of Justice and State Representatives from South Eastern Europe, 28 October 2003