Objavljeno: 24. 10. 2025.

(For English, please see below)

Studenti Sveučilišta u Mostaru okupili su se, 20. oktobra 2025. godine, na drugoj diskusiji „Mladi protiv sjena: Sigurnost i otpornost u vremenu organizovanog kriminala“. Ovaj događaj je bio prilika da se razgovara o izazovima borbe protiv organizovanog kriminala u Bosni i Hercegovini (BiH), kao i ulozi mladih u izgradnji sigurnijeg društva.

U uvodnom dijelu učesnici su se upoznali s Palermo konvencijom (Konvencija Ujedinjenih naroda protiv transnacionalnoga organizovanog kriminaliteta), ključnim međunarodnim dokumentom u borbi protiv transnacionalnog organizovanog kriminala, te sa Strategijom za borbu protiv organizovanog kriminala u BiH 2023-2026. Nakon uvodnih riječi, gospodin Emir Bašić, direktor Federalne agencije za upravljanje oduzetom imovinom, predstavio je rad Agencije i istakao važnost oduzimanja nezakonito stečene imovine kao jednog od najefikasnijih mehanizama u borbi protiv organizovanog kriminala. Kako je naglasio, oduzimanje imovine pogađa ekonomsku osnovu kriminalnih grupa, smanjuje njihovu moć i motivaciju, jača povjerenje građana u institucije i omogućava da se oduzeta sredstva iskoriste za društveno korisne svrhe, čime doprinosi prevenciji i podršci žrtvama. Time se smanjuju resursi kriminalnih grupa, prekida ekonomska logika kriminala, unapređuje saradnja institucija i stvaraju dodatni budžetski resursi za prevenciju i podršku žrtvama.

Tokom diskusije učesnici su istakli da organizovani kriminal ozbiljno narušava osjećaj sigurnosti u zajednicama i povjerenje građana u institucije. Smatraju da blaga krivična politika ne doprinosi odvraćanju od kriminalnih aktivnosti, nego da stvara prostor za njihovu „normalizaciju“. Posebno je naglašeno da se organizovani kriminal, u digitalnoj sferi, često prikazuje u pozitivnom i romantizovanom svjetlu, što može negativno uticati na percepciju mladih. Kao oblik organizovanog kriminala koji bi u narednim godinama mogao postati još izraženiji u BiH, učesnici su najčešće izdvajali trgovinu narkoticima. Istaknuto je i da je neophodno razviti sistem podrške reintegraciji počinilaca krivičnih djela i sprečavanju povrata u kriminal, kroz uspostavljanje probacijskog sistema, koncepta koji u BiH još nije u potpunosti zaživio.

Centar za sigurnosne studije nastavlja organizirati slične diskusije sa studentima širom BiH, s ciljem doprinosa oblikovanju budućih strateških pristupa države u ovoj oblasti. Takvim pristupom podržava se i lokalna implementacija UN Agende „Mladi, mir i sigurnost“, posebno u dijelu koji se odnosi na saradnju između mladih, institucija, međunarodnih organizacija i civilnog društva.

Centar za sigurnosne studije se zahvaljuje UNODC – Kancelariji UN-a za drogu i kriminal na podršci ovim aktivnostima.

Youth Against the Shadows: Students’ Voices for a Safer Society

Students of the University of Mostar gathered on October 20, 2025, for the second discussion titled “Youth Against the Shadows: Security and Resilience in the Age of Organized Crime”. This event provided an opportunity to discuss the challenges of combating organized crime in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), as well as the role of young people in building a safer society.

In the introductory part, participants were introduced to the Palermo Convention (the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime), a key international document in the fight against transnational organized crime, as well as the Strategy for Countering Organized Crime in BiH 2023–2026. After the opening remarks, Mr. Emir Bašić, Director of the FBiH Seized Property Management Agency, presented the work of the Agency and emphasized the importance of confiscating illegally acquired assets as one of the most effective mechanisms in the fight against organized crime. As he highlighted, asset confiscation strikes at the economic foundations of criminal groups, reduces their power and motivation, strengthens citizens’ trust in institutions, and enables seized assets to be used for socially beneficial purposes – thus contributing to prevention and support for victims. In doing so, the resources of criminal groups are reduced, the economic logic of crime is disrupted, institutional cooperation is improved, and additional budgetary resources are created for prevention and victim support.

During the discussion, participants emphasized that organized crime seriously undermines the sense of security in communities and citizens’ trust in institutions. They believe that lenient criminal policies do not deter criminal activities but instead create space for their “normalization.” It was particularly noted that, in the digital sphere, organized crime is often portrayed in a positive and romanticized way, which can negatively influence young people’s perceptions. Drug trafficking was most frequently highlighted as the form of organized crime that could become even more prominent in BiH in the coming years. It was also stressed that it is essential to develop a system to support the reintegration of offenders and prevent recidivism, through the establishment of a probation system – a concept that has not yet been fully implemented in BiH.

The Centre for Security Studies continues to organize similar discussions with students across BiH, aiming to contribute to shaping future strategic approaches of the state in this area. This approach also supports the local implementation of the UN Youth, Peace and Security Agenda, particularly in the part related to cooperation between youth, institutions, international organizations, and civil society.

The Centre for Security Studies expresses its gratitude to UNODC – the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for supporting these activities.