"Human trafficking is one of the most serious and cruel crimes of modern times, which directly threatens human dignity, fundamental rights and the security of our societies. In the era of digital finance, our response must be modern, coordinated and decisive," said Kažanegra Stanišić.
She emphasized that confiscation of illegally acquired property is one of the key mechanisms in the fight against organized crime.
"When we take away the profits of criminal groups, we also take away their power to continue exploiting victims. That is why the approach of tracking the flow of money must be at the heart of the institutional response," Kažanegra Stanišić pointed out.
According to the Ministry of Interior, in the introductory part of the meeting, the French Ambassador to Montenegro also addressed the participants, An Mari Maske, as well as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Montenegro, Karolin Tiso, which pointed to the importance of regional and international cooperation in the fight against human trafficking and the suppression of illicit financial flows, especially considering contemporary security challenges.
"This format of the meeting is an opportunity to strengthen the capacities of national authorities for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of human trafficking crimes, with a special focus on identifying and monitoring illicit financial flows, confiscating proceeds of crime, as well as preventing the misuse of information and communication technologies in the commission of these crimes," the Ministry of Interior said in a statement.
During the two-day program, they point out, expert sessions dedicated to the European and international legal framework, the application of the "follow the money flow" approach, digital forensics, public-private cooperation, as well as the contemporary challenges brought by digital finance and crypto-assets in the context of human trafficking, as well as a visit to the Western Balkans Regional Cyber Capacity Center, are planned.
"The regional meeting is organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Montenegro, in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, and Montenegro is hosting the gathering, which is held in a hybrid format and brings together experts and representatives of competent institutions from the countries of Southeast Europe and the European Union," the Ministry of Internal Affairs concluded.
Comments