Macedonia The "Danube" operation Arrested 66 Traffickers of Migrants

June 2, 2007

Comment: As very often with the media in the region, the term “trafficker” is used both in the context of trafficking in human beings and that of smuggling of persons. However, in this article, differently from most of other media, the focus remains on smuggling. As reported in the article, the operation “Danube” conducted by police forces of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and Austria tackled in specific smuggling of persons.

It is essential that the media understands and duly reflects the difference between the two phenomena. The main element of the trafficking as a crime is the exploitation and as such efforts to address the phenomenon should foremost seek to address exploitation. As shown in this article this is not yet properly understood and reflected in law-enforcement policies, which continue to focus on border control measures.

The statement of one official as quoted in the article that the “region is a barrier that does not allow flow of illegal or legal migrants from the East to the European countries” does not provide any information on efforts taken by these governments to address trafficking in human beings. On the contrary, it is concerning in the fact that it reflects the region as a barrier to legal migration, rising thereby question-marks about human rights and in particular the right to freedom of movement.

(This Press review is under the framework of EIDHR funded project, implemented jointly with Open Gate – La Strada – Macedonia)