Norway and Sweden plan to establish a collaborative police station to address cross-border crime.
To enhance collaboration with Sweden, Norway has announced plans to build a joint Norwegian-Swedish police station on the border between the two countries, with construction set to commence soon.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security highlighted the significant threat posed by organized crime across national borders. The establishment of a joint police station with Sweden at Magnormoen, the largest border crossing, is deemed a crucial measure to further enhance cooperation between the two territories.
Norway’s Justice and Emergency Services Minister Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) said that the country is taking several measures to stop the criminal gangs.
I will instruct Statsbygg to commence ground preparation at Magnormoen at the earliest opportunity.
Mehl
Upon completion of the new facility, Swedish and Norwegian police forces will co-locate.
The station will be divided equally between Norway and Sweden, featuring a shared open office and communal space spanning both countries, with the boundary line running through the middle. This arrangement facilitates smarter and closer collaboration between Norwegian and Swedish police in combating cross-border crime.
Minister of Justice and Emergency Preparedness
In 2022, the Norwegian government set up a temporary duty station on the Norwegian side of the border at Magnormoen. Subsequently, in the spring of the current year, the governments of both countries implemented a new scanner to enhance border control at Magnormoen.
As a part of initiatives to curb irregular migration, multiple European nations have chosen to enhance border controls, with Italy and Slovenia being the most recent countries to implement such measures.
The Italian government declared the commencement of border controls starting from October 21, intended to remain in effect until October 30, utilizing an expedited procedure under Article 28 of the Schengen Border Code.
A similar measure was also announced by authorities in Ljubljana, according to which controls would be reintroduced at the borders with Croatia and Hungary.
There is a need for immediate action to ensure public order and security of our citizens as well as the citizens of the European Union.
Slovenian government
Stressing that the reintroduction of these measures does not indicate a lack of trust among the bloc's countries but reflects an altered security landscape in Europe due to conflicts and instability in the eastern and southern regions, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic affirmed the commencement of border checks with Slovenia. This decision aligns Croatia with other Schengen Zone nations that have taken comparable steps.