Southeastern European Anti-Trafficking Coordinators Network held a virtual meeting

The first virtual meeting of the Southeastern European Anti-Trafficking Coordinators Network for 2021 took place on 26-28th January. The event was organized by the National Agency against Trafficking in Human Beings in Romania, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.

On behalf of the Republic of Bulgaria, the meeting was attended by Ms. Dobriana Petkova, Acting Secretary of the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Ms. Elitsa Vassileva, Prosecutor at the Specialized Prosecutor's Office, Mr. Kristian Goryanov, Investigator, Human Trafficking Branch at the DG BOP - Ministry of Interior, experts from the Secretariat of the NCCTHB and representatives of NGO's. The Bulgarian participants presented the experience of our country, including specific cases of investigation and prosecution of the crime, focusing on good and successful practices.

The main participants in the forum were Mr. Valiant Ritchie, Special Representative on Trafficking to the OSCE, Ms. Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, UN representatives and others. The forum was also attended by representatives of the Network of Anti-Trafficking Coordinators from South-Eastern Europe, as well as representatives of investigation authorities from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Greece.

The Forum also provided an opportunity to work in two separate groups, focusing on the impact of the pandemic triggered by COVID-19 on the crime of human trafficking and, in particular, the main challenges related to it during the measures taken to contain the spread of the virus and the preconditions for its increase.

The main objective of the meeting was to identify good practices and concrete recommendations to improve criminal justice in the fight against human trafficking.

More information on the meeting and its main conclusions will be available at the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.