Conference on Tackling Illegal Arms Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Starts

On Tuesday, the three-day High-Level Police and Customs Cooperation Conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Migrant Smuggling in South East Europe (SEE), started in Skopje.

At the event being organised by the OSCE Mission, in cooperation with EU4FAST, the former’s Head, Kilian Wahl, said SEE unfortunately remained a focal point for illicit arms trafficking and migrant smuggling.

“All of us in the room are aware of the infamous Balkan Routes,” he stated, adding that despite activities, proliferation of small arms and light weapons was still at a high level, which required regional action.

Therefore, he stressed, there is work to reduce it. Interior Minister Pance Toskovski said in his address to the event that information systems would be upgraded and operational capacities would be enhanced.