CHIEF PROSECUTOR MET WITH HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR MIGRATION (IOM) MISSION IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Topics for discussion at the meeting were the situation regarding illegal migration through the territory of BiH and the difficulties caused by the influx of migrants. 

The Chief Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, Gordana Tadić, together with prosecutors and associates, met with the Head of the IOM mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Western Balkans, Peter Van der Auweraert.

The topics for discussion at the meeting concerned migration issues in BiH, the situation with illegal migrants moving through and staying in the BiH area, as well as the return of BiH nationals from foreign battlefields.

The Chief Prosecutor informed Mr. Van Der Auweraert about the activities that the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH and partner institutions are undertaking to combat criminal offences related to illegal migration and migrant smuggling, as well as the work of the Task Force Combating Trafficking in Persons and Organized Illegal Migration.

In the past year the Prosecutor’s Office of BiH has issued dozens of indictments for criminal offences related to illegal migration and migrant smuggling, which involved BiH citizens as well as foreign nationals who committed crimes in BiH. Several joint and international operations were carried out to combat this type of criminal offences.

The meeting participants agreed to continue cooperation and regular communication between the institutions.

It was emphasized at the meeting that the issues associated with illegal migration are very complex and that overcoming them requires appropriate approach and involvement of all relevant institutions within their respective competences, both at the level of BiH and international level.