Abstract:
Trafficking in human beings is one of the most persistent forms of crime, as well as one of the
most strongly damaging to the entirety of human rights. It, by nature, often involves the
crossing of borders and, as such, immediately becomes at least a bilateral problem. The
Western Balkans region has recognized the existence of human trafficking mostly from the
late 1990s onwards as a direct result of the conflicts, wars and insurgencies in the six
countries. In addition, trafficking in the region has been connected to loosely organized
criminal groups which work across the borders within and outside the region. While the
countries are recognized to have made significant progress in the fight against the trafficking
of human beings, much remains to be done in order to achieve the complete eradication of the
phenomenon. This paper raises and seeks to answer the question of whether a regional
response is the appropriate way to successfully fight the crime.
