The International Operations Room, designed to serve as the central hub for coordination and information exchange among law enforcement agencies, was officially inaugurated today in Podgorica, according to an announcement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP).

The opening ceremony was led by Minister Danilo Šaranović and Acting Director of the Police Administration Lazar Šćepanović, alongside the Ambassadors of Italy and Germany, Andrea Marcello and Peter Felten, as well as Ingve Engstrom, the Head of the Cooperation Department at the European Union (EU) Delegation.

“Located within the Police Directorate, the operations room will act as the primary coordination center for information sharing among law enforcement institutions,” the statement indicated.

It was also mentioned that the operations room will function using the SPOC 24/7 (Single Point of Contact) Operations Center model, allowing a unified point of contact for real-time international cooperation.

Šaranović remarked that the Ministry of Interior is paving the way for advanced international police collaboration and establishing the foundation for a modern and effective information exchange system.

“This center represents the culmination of a strategic vision and dedicated efforts by our institutions, and with its establishment, the Ministry of Interior makes another stride toward enhancing the credibility of our system to support the collective security framework,” said Šaranović.

Šćepanović highlighted that the establishment of this center, the only one of its kind in the Western Balkans, demonstrates a commitment to achieving the highest standards in bolstering capacities against various security threats.

“This center’s inauguration is part of Montenegro’s strategic alignment with European standards and compliance with the EU Directive on Information Exchange in International Police Cooperation,” stated the Ministry of Interior.

They noted that this project is being implemented with the assistance of EU4FAST and GIZ, and its finalization will facilitate more efficient, secure, and quicker communication with EUROPOL, member states, and other international partners through reliable communication channels.

“Personnel from the Police Administration, Customs Administration, Tax Administration, along with other state agencies, will be able to exchange intelligence information among themselves and with international partners using secure communication frameworks (SIENA, INTERPOL, SELEC, and liaison officer communication channels),” the announcement declared.

This, as asserted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, signifies a major advancement in aligning with European standards for international police collaboration.

“The opening ceremony witnessed participation from representatives of the EU4FAST project team, international organizations such as Interpol, Europol, and Frontex, along with delegates from the single points of contact of Western Balkan countries,” indicated the government department.

This further affirmed the significance of the project on both regional and global scales.

The Ministry of Interior mentioned that, in addition to the Police Directorate, representatives from the Customs Administration and Tax Administration, as well as other state bodies, will have access to the Operations Center, further enhancing inter-agency collaboration and information sharing.

According to their statement, this will bolster the capabilities of all relevant authorities in combating crime and addressing security challenges, positioning Montenegro as a proactive and trustworthy partner in global police cooperation.

“The SPOC 24/7 Operations Center, being the first of its kind in the Western Balkans, affirms that Montenegro is aligning with contemporary security standards and fostering conditions for a more effective fight against organized crime and other security challenges,” the announcement stated.

News