Febbraio 2018 - page 8

Skopje and Pristina concluded a memorandum of police cooperation in the field of terrorism. The memorandum has been signed Saturday by Macedonian and Albanian Interior Ministers, respectively, Oliver Spasovski and Fatmir Xhafaj, in Ohrid. The document foresees exchange of information of individuals and groups considered potential perpetrators of terrorist actions both in the two countries and in the whole region. Macedonia’s Interior Ministry expressed to consider the terrorism as a global threat as well as a risk for the countries in the Balkans. Thus, the memorandum envisages the terrorism from a preventive and repressive way. Spasovski stated Interior Ministries ‘are actively cooperating in protection and control of the border but also providing easy flow of people and goods’. From his part, Xhafaj noted that the agreement is on cooperation as for present than for future. Moreover, the two countries ‘should follow the excellent relations between as appropriate to two neighbors and our cooperation as ministries to follow those principles and thus contribute to greater security that can be a positive example for the region. The meeting concerned also the cooperation between Macedonia and Albania in the fields of drug trafficking, arms smuggling, exchange of information, experiences and positives practices, promotion of cooperation bilaterally and in the regional framework. In addition, Spasovski stated to support the initiative of the Albanian Police to establish a regional center for police cooperation of the Western Balkan countries.