Regional focus on cyber-crime

Regional focus on cyber-crime

He underlined that fight against cyber crime called for amended legislation and reminded that the criminal offences linked with the use of high technology “know no state borders.”

The justice minister reminded that Serbia signed the Council of Europe Convention on Cyber-Crime and adopted an appropriate bill creating necessary legal framework.

“Special departments have been set up within the Interior Ministry and the state prosecutor’s office, while the cyber-crime bill envisages sanctions for criminal offences that breach the safety of personal computers and IT systems,” Stojković said.

Peter Bach, European Agency for Reconstruction’s program manager for justice and home affairs projects, said that the basic characteristic of cyber-crime was that the offenders could operate regardless of state borders.

“That’s why it is important for all countries to institutionalize the same or similar defense mechanisms,” he said.

Special representative of the CoE Secretary General Denis Huber said cyber crime was a global challenge which required a general solution.

According to him, existing instruments for combating cyber crime were not enough and “the constant cooperation and exchange of information among experts was crucial.”

The conference which will last through March 21 is being organized by the European Commission, Council of Europe and the Serbian Ministry of Justice.