The Balkans have become the main gateway to Europe of a multi-million pound business in illegal immigration, drug smuggling and people trafficking.
The Balkans have become the main gateway to Europe of a multi-million pound business in illegal immigration, drug smuggling and people trafficking. People have become commodities through illegal immigration and people trafficking as much as drugs and weapons. So a conference at Lancaster House on November 25 heard. The event, on how to tackle organised crime at source in South Eastern Europe; in transit; and at destination in the EU; drew 57 delegations, the biggest to date on organised crime in the Balkans, and the largest gathering about South Eastern Europe since the Dayton peace conference in 1995. A research paper available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website said that ?organised crime is now frequently described as the greatest threat to stability in the [Balkans] region?.
What they say
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: ?Organised crime is a subject that is important not just for the future of the region, but for the greater stability and prosperity of Europe and the wider world. It is highly significant that so many Ministers from Europe and beyond are coming together today to demonstrate their commitment to tackling organised crime. This is the biggest conference on organised crime in the Balkans to date and we must seize this opportunity to make a difference. The task ahead of us is not easy – but we should not be daunted. It is my hope that today we can take the first step towards solving this problem once and for all.? Visit www.fco.gov.uk
