Press Releases
Trafficking in Human Beings
Thessaloniki - (January 25, 2002) Τhe American Consulate General of Thessaloniki with the support of the Ministry of Macedonia - Thrace has launched a series of trans-border programs entitled “Trafficking in Human Beings: Law Enforcement and Cooperation in Southeast Europe in the SECI framework.” One of the greatest human rights challenges faced in Southeast Europe as well as in many other regions of the world is trafficking in persons, which is furthermore associated with organized crime and has repercussions for the stability and security of the region. The United States of America and Greece, as well as other Balkan countries, cooperate for the eradication of this phenomenon.
More specifically, in Thessaloniki a working meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 29, at 10:00 a.m. at the Lecture Hall of the Thessaloniki Bar Association, (103 Tsimiski street, Diagonios). Law enforcement issues in the fight against trafficking will be presented by Frank Cabaddu and Fred Sanchez, from the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service and John Markey, SECI Desk Officer at the U.S. Department of State.
In cooperation with the local prefectures, the program will be repeated with Mr. Frank Cabaddu in Serres, Wednesday, January 30, in Florina, Thursday, January 31 and Kilkis, Friday, February 1, 2002.
Besides Thessaloniki, Serres, Florina and Kilkis, working
meetings will also take place at the border stations of Promahonas and Evzonoi
in cooperation with the Hellenic Authorities.
Members of the Hellenic National Police, the Judiciary, Customs and
Immigration Agencies, their counterparts from FYROM and Bulgaria, as well as
representatives of Non Governmental Organizations who are active in issues of
trafficking will participate in the meetings.
These meetings will be held in the framework of SECI (Southeast European Cooperation Initiative)
aiming toward enhanced cooperation between northern Greece and its neighbors in
the Balkans.