Around 40 representatives of relevant institutions and civil society organisations from the Western Balkans gathered in Sarajevo on 3-4 December 2025, together with Council of Europe experts, to share knowledge, strengthen co-operation, and harmonise approaches for providing continuous support to violent extremist offenders (VEOs) after their release from prison.

The two-day regional conference included representatives from institutions and organisations working on the prevention and countering of radicalisation and terrorism, along with representatives of penitentiary systems from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

The participants deepened their understanding of the importance of providing continued support once violent extremist offenders are released from prison. One of the key aspects discussed at the conference was co-operation between relevant institutions, which should start during pre-release planning and continue after release to ensure effective reintegration into society.

The conference also addressed alternatives to imprisonment and the possibility of using community sanctions and other measures for violent extremist offenders to improve the chances of reintegration into society and help reduce recidivism. Participants shared experiences and knowledge on different practices related to the reintegration of violent extremist offenders, including those related to raising awareness about the Council of Europe’s and other international standards.

Participants agreed that more needs to be done to strengthen the effective reintegration of violent extremist offenders, particularly by reinforcing institutional co-operation, building the capacities of local community bodies, and involving civil society organisations as important partners.

The conclusions of this conference will help coordinators responsible for the prevention and countering of radicalisation and violent extremism, as well as other relevant institutions and professionals across the Western Balkans, to work together to address common challenges and obstacles, harmonise the development and refinement of strategic documents, and further improve regional co-operation and partnerships among institutions, local communities, and civil society organisations.

The conference was organised as part of the Council of Europe project “Providing for effective reintegration of violent extremist offenders in Bosnia and Herzegovina”, funded through voluntary contributions under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2022-2025, in co-operation with the regional action “Enhancing co-operation in the Western Balkans in managing violent extremism in prisons and preventing further radicalisation after release” which is part of the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.

* All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.