Brdo Process: Ministers of the Interior adopt a declaration on strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism and trafficking in human beings

SLOVENIA, March 28 - In a joint declaration, the Ministers of the Interior and representatives of the Brdo Process countries expressed support for enhancing regional cooperation in the fight against terrorist threats and emphasized the crucial role of the Network of National Anti-Trafficking Coordinators of South-East Europe (NATC SEE) in the fight against irregular migration. They called for united, coordinated and decisive action.

The meeting began with a minute of silence to honour the victims of the tragic incident in Kocani, North Macedonia. The first agenda item focused on ensuring security and enhancing (regional) cooperation in a rapidly evolving security environment, particularly in response to emerging terrorist threats.

"Slovenia is committed to the idea of the European Union; we share the common values of the European Union – solidarity, inclusion, common solutions. This is what makes us strong and resilient. This is also a time when the security – of not only Slovenia, but of the entire European Union –, is of paramount importance," said Minister Poklukar after the meeting. The security environment has changed. "I am talking about a new security reality. This makes our united and common action all the more important. These European values were also the focus of today's first ministerial debate of the Brdo Process," the Minister underlined.

The ministers agreed that terrorism remains a significant threat to internal security in the region. Therefore, according to Minister Poklukar, it must be addressed in a strategic, coordinated and effective manner. This can only be done through immediate exchange of quality information on the situation in the region. The ministers also agreed on the need for continuous and rapid adaptation by law enforcement authorities to perceived changes in the criminal environment and contemporary security challenges. However, the worrying trend of online radicalisation, which is being observed across all countries, should not be overlooked. Minister Poklukar said that this period signifies the need for changes to the national security system. Terrorism is one of the most immediate threats, which is why bringing together all stakeholders from this field is of the utmost importance.

The importance of external border security and effective migration management is continuously part of the agenda of meetings like the Brdo Process, as terrorist groups often use migration flows to infiltrate their members. "Enhanced control of the region's external borders, cooperation with the Western Balkan countries and coordinated action are key steps in our common strategy," stressed Minister Poklukar. He added that strengthening border security is not only a matter of surveillance, but also involves developing advanced identification methods, the use of biometrics and improved coordination with agencies such as Frontex and Europol.

According to Minister Poklukar, it is important that the measures discussed at the conference be effectively translated into practice through enhanced cooperation. No country, including Slovenia, can tackle global threats such as terrorism on its own. The key lies in uniting efforts and delivering a collective response.

The second part of the ministerial meeting was dedicated to a discussion on the role of the Network of Anti-Trafficking Coordinators of South-East Europe and the challenges of addressing trafficking in human beings within mixed migration flows. Victims of trafficking in human beings are recognized under the Common European Asylum System as a particularly vulnerable group, requiring special attention throughout the asylum and reception process. The EU Asylum Agency's Executive Director, Nina Gregori, shared the agency's experiences and good practices.

Ministers also took note of the new Network Strategy Paper for the 2025–2029 period, which was adopted by the Anti-Trafficking Coordinators at their meeting on 27 March 2025. This new strategy is more ambitious than the previous one and focuses on strengthening strategic and operational cooperation in the region, also in areas such as joint preventive awareness-raising actions, joint field controls and joint handling of cross-border cases. "The fight against trafficking in human beings is an extremely important task of the Ministry of the Interior and the Police, because these are incredibly tragic stories involving vulnerable groups of people, such as children and women," Minister Poklukar stressed.