Božović in Washington: Strong U.S. Support for Advancing Judicial Cooperation and Joint Fight Against Organized Crime

Montenegro’s Minister of Justice, Bojan Božović, began the working portion of his official visit to the United States with a series of meetings with senior representatives of the U.S. administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Congress, and the Atlantic Council. The meetings confirmed both sides’ readiness to further strengthen cooperation in the areas of justice, the rule of law, and the fight against transnational organized crime. Discussions covered the results of joint efforts by Montenegrin and U.S. institutions to date, as well as opportunities to enhance them further, particularly through coordinated operations, information sharing, specialized training, and stronger institutional capacities to respond to contemporary security challenges. The FBI director specifically highlighted Montenegro’s contribution to a recent operation against Amir Barati, who is suspected of involvement in a hacking fraud worth approximately $3 billion and targeting more than 100 U.S. universities. One of the most important topics discussed was the prospect of concluding a bilateral agreement on international cooperation in criminal matters between Montenegro and the United States, which would provide an additional legal framework for even more intensive and effective cooperation in combating organized crime. Minister Božović also met with Jörn Fleck, senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, one of the leading U.S. organizations dedicated to international relations, security, and the transatlantic partnership. The series of meetings held in Washington on the first working day of the official visit confirmed the importance the United States attaches to cooperation with Montenegro in the fields of justice and security, while also creating opportunities for concrete next steps in strengthening the bilateral partnership.