CBSS Secretariat delegation participated in the annual strategic meeting of the Baltic Sea Task Force on organized crime (BSTF) in Moscow.
The participants discussed existing security threats and challenges in the Baltic Sea Region, potential cross-border operations for police and customs as well as elaborated on creation of roadmaps in battling organized crime in the region.
Deputy Director General of the CBSS Secretariat Mr. Hemingway congratulated the Russian Chairmanship of the BSTF on the successful prolongation of the mandate for the next 4 years and welcomed the priorities of the upcoming Latvian Chairmanship, particularly the highlighted priority to unite the efforts of the Baltic Sea Task Force on Organized Crime and the Baltic Sea Region Border Control Cooperation.
“Cooperation is a key to many solutions, although sometimes it is a key challenge as well. A good example of how to unlock this challenge is shown in the latest initiative by the Latvian partners in the Joint Approach to Tackle Organized Cross-Border Crime in the Baltic Sea Region – the JATOC project funded by the CBS Project Support Facility.”