Organized Crime in Southeastern Europe as a Threat to Regional Freedoms and Cooperation

by Aleksandar Fatić, Ph.D. ^[1]

abstract of article presented at the XV International Conference "Danube - River of Cooperation" (October 27 - 31 2004)

Discussions of the various dimensions of regional cooperation, especially trans-border cooperation, between the countries linked by the Danube, tends to focus on the positive sides and opportunities for furthering economic and social links between these societies and states. However, there are also problematic dimensions that need to be taken into account, some of which are connected with the activity of organized crime in the region and the flourishing corruption in some of the countries. Specifically, issues associated with insecurity and unpredictability (violent crime as an exemplification of the former, and police corruption, as an exemplification of the latter) tend to hinder the free movement of people, goods and services far more than the administrative obstacles such as visas and customs restrictions. It thus follows that, in order to further facilitate trans-border links and cooperative efforts along the Danube, one should address the security issues first, rather then focusing exclusively on the positive or "rosy glasses" aspects of the regional regions.

The first issue that would need to be addressed in this context is whether or not the Danube basin is a region in any relevant sense, and if so, whether or not it is a security region, namely whether or not there are distinguishable security networks and mechanisms, and a recognized level of public and institutional debate of security issues, between the countries of the basin. The second issue would include the building of specific initiatives, for example the initiative between Serbia and Montenegro on the one hand, and Hungary on the other, to address corruption in border controls, and in the police forces, because it is widely recognized, at least on the Serbian and Montenegrin side, that apparently rampant corruption amongst, for example, the Szeged Traffic Police, is a very serious discouraging signal for cooperation with Hungary for the citizens of Serbia and Montenegro. Surely there are other aspects of reciprocal concerns that would need to be addressed through not only inter-governmental, but also inter-societal forms of dialogue.

In order to address these issues successfully, one could assume that the "rosy glasses" should be taken off first, and that the facts of rather dubious security and a rather advanced mode of operation of organized crime along the Danube should be recognized, both in the area of classic security policy, and in the area of tourism, economic cooperation and the attempts to bring the region’s societies together.

[1] Research Fellow at the Institute of International Politics and Economics, Belgrade
Adjunct Senior Lecturer in International Relations, School of International Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of South Australia
Address: Makedonska 25, 11000 Belgrade, SCG
e-mail: afatic@beotel.yu

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