Skopje, 9 June 2026 (MIA) — Minister of Internal Affairs Panche Toshkovski addressed Tuesday a ceremony marking the handover of new vehicles and equipment to the police donated within a European Union-funded regional project aimed at combating migrant smuggling and human trafficking.

The donation, made as part of the EU Support to Strengthen the Fight Against Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings in the Western Balkans project, includes 30 document verification tools, two heartbeat detectors to find people hidden in vehicles, five video cameras, four off-road vehicles and three vans. The equipment will go to the Border Police and the National Unit for the Suppression of Smuggling of Migrants and Trafficking in Human Beings.

Toshkovski said the EU's support directly strengthens the Macedonian police force and improves its daily operations.

"We live in complex geopolitical times, which require maximum vigilance and cohesion of security structures," he said. 

He noted that the country's borders are important for Europe's overall security and any investment in Macedonian police equipment helps protect the peace and stability of the entire continent.

Criminal networks operate across borders and constantly change their tactics, Toshkovski said, making strong international cooperation and quick, coordinated responses essential.

He said the EU4FAST regional project was an excellent example of how regional institutions and European partners can successfully work together through shared training, information and field operations.

Toshkovski said the new vehicles and equipment will be used immediately to help police units work more efficiently to combat smuggling and trafficking.

He also said the ministry will continue to focus on the human element in all of its police operations, given that these forms of organized crime devastate human lives.

At the end of his speech, the interior minister thanked the EU, the donors and the project team for their continued trust and support. He pledged that the country would remain a reliable partner in regional initiatives aimed at strengthening security and the rule of law.

The EU4FAST project helps Western Balkan institutions prevent, investigate and prosecute smuggling and trafficking while also protecting victims through training, technical assistance, equipment donations and improving institutional cooperation.

The project is co-funded by the EU, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Italian Interior Ministry and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is managed by a consortium led by Germany's international development agency GIZ alongside other European justice and internal affairs partners. mr/