Yesterday, the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) reached a major milestone in its institutional journey.

At the first meeting of its Governing Board, representatives of France, Slovenia and Montenegro came together to mark a new chapter for the Centre, with the signing of the Headquarters Agreement formally confirming WB3C as the first international organization headquartered in Podgorica. The appointed members of the Governing Board, H.E. Anne-Marie Maskay and Gen. Stephane Richou for France, iztok jarc and Uroš Svete for Slovenia and Ivan Lekovic and Aleksandar Zecevic for Montenegro, held the first inaugural session to adopt internal documents, while the Programme Director Gilles Schwoerer presented the achievements of the Centre in 2025 and the ambitious plan for 2026.

The event was honoured by the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ervin Ibrahimovic, Minister of Public Administration Marash Dukaj, French and Slovenian Ambassadors to Montenegro Anne-Marie Maskay and bernarda gradišnik, representatives of the EU Delegation and the diplomatic corps in Montenegro and our institutional partners, reflecting the strong support behind WB3C’s mission to serve as a regional platform for cyber capacity building, cooperation and resilience.

During the official addresses of the high representatives of the founding members, we heard the reassuring words of unwavering support to the region's European future and WB3C's mission in supporting the region on this path through strengthening its resilience against cyber and hybrid threats.

Beyond the formal ceremony, the day also offered a meaningful reminder of what this institution is ultimately about: investing in people, knowledge and the region’s future. On this occasion, General Stéphane Richou, Director of Security and Defense Cooperation at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (Direction de la Coopération de Sécurité et de Défense DCSD 🇫🇷) visited the first class of the Cybersecurity Diploma Course, engaging with participants who represent the next generation of cyber professionals in the Western Balkans.

Taken together, yesterday’s events stood as a powerful testament to a shared commitment to regional cooperation, European values and a more secure digital future.

This week's meeting brought together prosecutors, judges, law enforcement investigators, financial intelligence specialists and policy experts from across South-Eastern Europe and the EU, alongside representatives of international organizations, civil society and the private sector. Participants included experts from institutions such as EUROPOL, INTERPOL, UNODC, national ministries of interior and justice, specialized prosecution offices, financial investigation units, cryptocurrency analytics companies and anti-trafficking organizations.
The event was implemented by UNODC, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France.
On Day 2, participants visited the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C), where our team presented its mandate and activities supporting regional cybercrime investigations. Director Gilles Schwoerer presented the overall operations of the Centre while our in-house expert for cybercrime, Cyril C., introduced WB3C’s crypto-assets training programme, highlighting how investigators in the region are being equipped with practical skills for blockchain analysis, cryptocurrency tracing and digital evidence handling in financial investigations.
Discussions throughout the meeting emphasized the growing importance of digital forensics, blockchain analysis and cross-border cooperation in identifying and recovering criminal proceeds linked to trafficking in persons.
Events like this demonstrate how cooperation between international organizations, governments, investigative bodies and technical experts is becoming essential to address increasingly complex financial crimes in the digital era. The group visited the WB3C training facilities and part of the Science and Technology Park as one of the driving platforms for innovation in Montenegro.

Today, WB3C participated in a multisectoral roundtable on the “Protection of Children in the Digital Environment – A New Draft Law”, hosted by the Ulysseus European University – Innovation Hub for Cybersecurity at the University of Montenegro, led by Andreja Mihailovic, PhD in academic cooperation with the University of Genoa.
The discussion, opened by Prof. Dr. Savo Tomović and MP Slađana Kaludjerović, addressed the proposed Law on the Protection of Minors in the Digital Environment from multiple professional angles.

Our Senior Project Manager Vanja Madzgalj MBE noted that clearly this is an exceptionally complex regulatory space. 
On one hand, states face structural barriers: limited jurisdiction over very large digital platforms operating across borders, difficulties in enforcing obligations against global service providers and the technical opacity of algorithmic systems. On the other hand, children are digital natives with legitimate rights to access, participate in, and benefit from the digital world. Protection cannot mean exclusion.

⚡ At the same time, the data are stark.
We see increasing numbers of minors falling victim to digital crimes, including online sexual exploitation and abuse. We also see minors committing digital offences, often without understanding the legal consequences. Internet addiction is emerging at an early age, with long-term psychological and social impacts. Uncontrolled and unsupervised digital exposure is producing measurable harm.
The forum brought together ICT professionals, children’s rights organizations, parent associations, regulators, policymakers, and educators. 

There was broad agreement that:
Cross-border cooperation with EU regulators is essential, particularly in light of the Digital Services Act and emerging European enforcement mechanisms.
Parents and schools carry a critical share of responsibility.
Children’s rights — including access to information and digital participation — must be preserved alongside protection measures.
Clear criminalization of digital child sexual abuse material (CSAM), grooming, and manipulation of minors online is essential.
We also agreed that waiting for perfect solutions is not an option. We must start somewhere.
National awareness campaigns on digital risks, structured parental education, and early cybersecurity education in schools are foundational. Parents need greater support — and greater accountability. At the same time, targeted institutional regulation and enforceable legal provisions remain necessary, particularly in areas of exploitation, manipulation, and platform responsibility.
Protecting minors online is not a single-law issue. It is a societal, institutional, and technological challenge that requires coordinated national action and effective alignment with European regulatory frameworks. The complexity should not paralyze us — it should push us toward pragmatic, enforceable, and balanced solutions.