Top prosecutors from the Balkan region gathered in Sofia, Bulgaria, for the 4th Forum of Prosecutors General of the Balkan States, a key event in the regional effort to tackle organised crime. Eurojust played a key role in the high-level gathering, with President Michael Schmid delivering an opening address that underscored the importance of cross-border judicial cooperation in preventing and tackling complex crimes.
Eurojust’s participation in the forum reflects the Agency’s commitment to supporting international cooperation and collaboration among prosecutors, and its expertise in facilitating cooperation among its member states was shared with the attendees.
Combating organised crime in the Western Balkans is a key objective for Eurojust, which has established strong partnerships with regional authorities to achieve this goal through its Western Balkans Criminal Justice Project. This project has helped to build trust and cooperation among law enforcement agencies in the region and has supported several major criminal investigations.
Eurojust's priorities also align closely with the issues addressed at the forum, such as terrorism, drug trafficking, and environmental crime, each which pose significant threats to regional security and stability. To effectively counter these challenges, Eurojust is dedicated to providing support to its member states and partners in third countries, facilitating the exchange of expertise and best practices among prosecutors and law enforcement agencies across the region, and fostering a collaborative approach to cross-border crime prevention that transcends borders, ultimately contributing to a safer and more secure environment for all.
On the margins of the Forum, President Schmid also held bilateral meetings with key partners, including the Minister of Justice of Bulgaria Mr Georgi Georgiev, acting Prosecutor General of Bulgaria Mr Borislav Sarafov and Prosecutor General of Türkiye Mr Muhsin Şentürk.
Eurojust is an agency of the European Union