Eneid Hasanovic, head of INTERPOL and EUROPOL cooperation at the Federal Police Administration, and Nermin Pecanac, former Minister of Interior of Sarajevo Canton, discussed the current situation regarding the Amber Alert system across Bosnia and Herzegovina and the fight against juvenile delinquency.

Hasanovic explained that a working body has been established to analyze the situation and take necessary actions, including legal amendments and new rules for the Amber Alert system. He emphasized the need for systematic work.

Legal and procedural changes are required, starting with the Criminal Procedure Code. The current law requires suspicion of a criminal act to issue a missing person alert, which needs rephrasing to allow alerts without such suspicion, he said.

Obstacles to system establishment

Pecanac stressed the importance of prioritizing expertise but noted that political interference is a significant obstacle. He advocated for establishing the Amber Alert system at the national level, expressing frustration with political issues, especially when it concerns missing children under seven years old.

He highlighted the crucial role of time in searching for missing persons and stated that complex alert methods waste precious time.

Interagency cooperation

Hasanovic praised the good cooperation between institutions, media, and organizations in cases of missing minors. He mentioned that current cooperation already follows Amber Alert principles, with integrated efforts from agencies in the Federation of BiH, Republika Srpska, and Brcko District.

Amber Alert will formalize and legally define these processes, he added. Pecanac noted that the system would involve the entire community through media, SMS messages, etc., but stressed the need for clear regulations.

“There are no technical or financial obstacles, only political ones,” he stated.

Statistics on missing persons

Hasanovic revealed that the reported number of missing persons is alarming but not entirely accurate. Often, missing persons return but are not reported back, remaining active cases. He mentioned approximately 160 searches for minors and emphasized that the actual number is likely lower.

Commenting on the case of a missing girl from Serbia, Hasanovic stated that the search for her body is ongoing and highlighted the issue of false reports, which could also occur with the Amber Alert system and need to be prevented.

Juvenile delinquency

Regarding a recent juvenile murder case in Serbia, Pecanac emphasized the importance of prevention. He criticized the system and society, particularly schools, for failing to recognize and address behavioral issues. “Prevention is key, especially in dealing with delinquency,” he concluded.