The meeting in Varna, opened by Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, pooled the interior ministers of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Kosovo, Greece and Turkey. Croatia was represented by Interior Minister Ivica Kirin and Police Chief Marijan Benko.
Spokesman Mehun said the ministers talked about the strengthening of international police cooperation in fighting organised crime and terrorism in Southeast Europe.
Cooperation should include the exchange of information on the movement of criminal gangs, joint operations and analysis of suspicious financial manoeuvres so as to successfully prevent criminal activities and terrorism, Mehun said.
Croatian Minister Kirin informed his counterparts of measures Croatia was taking to prevent organised crime and terrorism, Mehun said.
Kirin informed the participants in the meeting of Croatian national programmes aimed at fighting drugs and people smuggling and measures taken to fight terrorism, Mehun said. Kirin also presented legal frameworks of the activities of the witness protection institution and the Office for the Prevention of Corruption and Organised Crime. Kirin informed his counterparts of bilateral agreements Croatia had signed with countries in the region and European Union member states aimed at establishing even more successful cooperation in preventing all forms of crime. Kirin particularly underlined the importance of the strategic agreement that Croatia had signed with Europol, Mehun said.
The next meeting of Southeast European interior ministers will be hosted by Turkey.