Interior minister: Don't call terrorists "liberators"

Interior minister: Don't call terrorists "liberators"

"There is no universal model of confronting this global phenomenon, but continued efforts definitely need to be made to prevent a radicalization of groups and individuals. We must not allow that terrorist organisations be called liberation movements because the goal of terrorist activities and association is easily identifiable," Stefanovic told a regional summit on the fight against violent extremism.

At a session on strengthening law enforcement ties in the community for fighting violent extremism, Stefanovic noted that the ideology of violent extremism is a threat that is growing every day and the biggest security challenge, which he said must be confronted by everyone together and with resolve.

"Any attempt of an extremist attack must be responded to strongly and without compromise," he said.

Border crossings

Serbia has stepped up control over border crossings with an aim to cut the main sources of financing of terrorist groups and illegal trafficking of arms, drugs and people, Nebojsa Stefanovic said in Tirana on Wednesday.

Only last year, Serbia exchanged nearly 300 pieces of information of operative importance through joint contact centers with Hungary, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Croatia that resulted in combating various forms of crime and expanding of illegal businesses from which part of funds is directed to terrorist organizations, Stefanovic said at the Regional Summit on Countering Violent Extremism.

In order to prevent financing terrorism through legal flows, Serbia has focused great attention on financial investigations, he said.

“We are closely monitoring the movement of money that comes from organized crime and represents one of the bases for help to violent extremism,” Stefanovic said.

Based on the financial investigations in the last six months, orders have been issued for temporary confiscation and ban on expropriation of a large number of real estates whose value surpasses EUR 11 million, Stefanovic said according to a statement issued by the Ministry of the Interior.

Intense dialogue

While in tirana, Nebojsa Stefanovic also representatives of the Serb national minority in Albania, to "express the expectation that the intense dialogue between Serbia and Albania would lead to improvement of position of the Serb national minority in the country."

Serbia and Albania will need to cooperate in the area of mutual respect for the rights of national minorities as a task on the realization of which Serbia is already intensively working in its territory, Stefanovic said.

According to a release issued by the Serbian Interior Ministry, Stefanovic and representatives of the Serb minority "discussed the improvement of their position, improved realisation of rights to education, use of mother language and promotion of Serbian culture."

The minister added that the talks "also covered the possibility for obtaining Serbian citizenship for all those who wish to have dual citizenship."