A regional conference on the topic “Towards improved practices in preventing radicalisation and countering violent extremism in prisons and staff training in the Western Balkans” took place in Budva, Montenegro, on 17–18 May 2022. It provided prison, probation, P/CVE coordinators, civil society members, academics and other practitioners with a forum to reflect on the findings and recommendations resulting from the six regional sessions on screening, risk and needs assessment and empowering and building capacities of staff on the related topic. It also marked the progress made in the penitentiary systems in all 6 Western Balkans (WB) Beneficiaries in the context of application of these recommendations in practice.
Upcoming challenges in the context of repatriation of foreign terrorist fighters and their families, ongoing efforts at policy and operational levels, improving allocation practices and management of violent extremist prisoners and strengthening the preconditions for provision of continuous and sustainable training of practitioners were also discussed. The conference participants concluded, among other things, that the regional cooperation and information-knowledge sharing is to be further enhanced and built upon. Namely, only strong coordination and cooperation will ensure long-term impact and contribute towards the overall security and stability in the WB region.
More than 50 participants from the region took part at this event implemented under the umbrella of the regional action “Enhancing penitentiary capacities in addressing radicalisation in prisons in the Western Balkan”, part of the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019–2022, funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, implemented by the Council of Europe.