POLICE-RELATED ACTIVITIES OF FIELD OPERATIONS SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE Cybercrime On 27 and 28 March, the Mission facilitated National Table Top Exercise on the Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructure organized by TNTD/ATU. The event was opened by the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Head of Mission. The table top exercise, led by two external experts, was based on the OSCE guidebook on “Good Practices Guide on Non-Nuclear Critical Energy Infrastructure Protection from Terrorist Attacks Focusing on Threats Emanating from Cyberspace”. Representatives from Macedonian Power Plants, Electricity Transmission System Operator of Macedonia, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Cyber Incidents Response Team and the Directorate for Protection of Classified Information participated in the exercise. Deficiencies in national legal and operational frameworks were identified and internal workshops recommended. On 4 May, the Mission organized a seminar in co-operation with the Directorate for Security of Classified Information in Skopje, aimed at promoting the National Methodology for Drafting Risk Assessment on Cyber Security. During the oneday seminar, all state institutions dealing with information security issues (INFOSEC) were introduced to the content of this document as well as to the practical implications of the newly adopted methodology, which will serve as guideline for all state institutions dealing with INFOSEC. Border Security and Management / Customs From 15 March to 31 May, the Mission, together with counterparts from the French MoI and in co-ordination with the Sector for Border Affairs and Migration, organized a series of on-site training sessions on countering falsified documents, for 95 border police officers from various border crossing points. During the training, participants were familiarized with the security features of three types of travel documents. In addition, the training focused on early recognition of forged travel documents, as a preventive measure against potential returning FTFs. From 15 to 26 May, the Mission organized two one-week training sessions on Integrated Border Management in cooperation with the Hungarian Police. 619 police cadets from the Police Training Centre attended both the training sessions, which aimed at improving the cadets’ communication skills and profiling capacity during crisis or emergency situations. This activity is a part of the Mission’s aims to strengthen the country’s law enforcement capacities in prevention, detection and suppression of transnational threats. From 22 to 24 August, TNTD/BSMU, supported by the Mission, organized a three-day advanced training course for border police officers in the MoIA Training Centre in Idrizovo, with the objective to increase operational awareness for detection of forged documents and imposters. 20 border police officers increased their knowledge about the manufacturing processes of diverse travel documents as well as the latest trends in counterfeiting methods. The course also offered practical sessions where participants examined the security features of passports, visas, payment cards and banknotes and practiced identifying facial and behavioural indicators of imposters. From 9 to 19 October, the Mission, in co-operation with the French Embassy in Skopje, supported the delivery of a practical training course on green border observation, search and rescue, orientation and mapping in mountainous areas for 12 police officers from the Border Police, the Department for Special Units and the Forensic Department. The training was delivered by experts from the ChamonixMountainous team within the French Police, covering various aspects of orientation, rescue and climbing techniques, and communication tools in mountainous areas. At the end of the training, participants improved their capabilities in tackling different cross-border crimes and other transnational threats, detecting tracks of migrants smuggling, identifying members of organized criminal groups and FTFs and terrorists. The overall aim of this training was to provide institutional support to the MoIA’s Sector for Border Affairs and Migration. On 13 and 14 November, the Mission, jointly with Frontex, organized an awareness session on the VEGA Handbook: “Children at Airports” for 25 border police officers from Airport Skopje and Ohrid. The VEGA handbook presents practical guidelines on the detection and disruption of criminal organizations involved in the trafficking of human beings and people smuggling at air borders, including in assisting children at risk. The training sessions, delivered by two Frontex experts, aimed to increase border guard officers’ awareness of children crossing the air borders and to help identify children at risk, ensuring respect for child rights while enhancing activities against criminal activities. From 20 to 24 November, the Mission, in co-ordination with the Hungarian Interior Ministry, organized training on border protection for the newly recruited police cadets and with two lecturers from Idrizovo Police Training Centre, in Szeged Law Enforcement School in Hungary. The event was organized in line with an MoU signed between Idrizovo Police Training Centre and Szeged Law Enforcement School. The 13 participants were familiarized with Fundamental Integrated Border Management principles and best practices and rules of police measures during border protection as well as children’s rights, child refugees and child asylum seekers. 97