VZCZCXRO2485
RR RUEHPOD
DE RUEHPOD #0012/01 3341147
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301147Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0011
INFO RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0001
RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 0001
RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0001
RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 0001
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 0001
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0001
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 0013

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000012 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR S/CT, EUR/SCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KVPR PTER PREL PGOV PINR CVIS
SUBJECT: MONTENEGRO - COLLECTION OF TERRORIST DATA OVERSEAS 
 
Immigration Databases 
 
--------------------- 
 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Montenegro has a central immigration database kept in 
the Ministry of Interior headquarters which is used for tracking 
entries and exits. The database includes the registry of 
Montenegrin citizens, arrest warrants, etc. Montenegro has still 
not established a network to connect all border crossings with 
the central headquarters in Podgorica. In order to do that, an 
"optical cable" is to be laid and connected to all border 
crossings throughout Montenegro. So far the following border 
crossings have been connected to the central database: Airports 
of Podgorica and Tivat and the Port of Bar. Consequently, the 
computerized immigration database is currently available only at 
those three places of entry. The information from the other 
border crossings (road crossing points into Croatia, Bosnia and 
Herzegovina, Serbia (including Kosovo), and Albania) is 
collected manually and backed up on portable computer devices, 
and retrieved in the central database every 7 days. As this 
system is slow, cables are sent, as the means of communication 
between the border crossings and headquarters, for urgent cases. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) The major problem of the immigration database is the 
fact that the system is not connected to the universal network 
system to cover the entire Montenegro, which limits the 
effectiveness of the system used to track entries and exits. 
Second problem is that police officers must manually input 
information on all passengers traveling from and to Montenegro 
into the computers at the places of entry. This is not only 
slow, but also prevents them from focusing more carefully on 
their usual "policing" activities at the places of entry/exits. 
In order to overcome this problem Montenegro would need 
electronic "code readers" and more pro-active exchange of 
information with other countries. Most police staff deployed at 
the places of entry/exits are well trained. At some border 
crossings (mostly with Bosnia and Herzegovina)  border crossings 
are faced with electricity supply problems (although posts are 
supplied with the electricity generators, frequent drops of 
voltage makes their operations more difficult). The problem 
particularly increases during the summer holiday season, when 
the requirement to input data about each traveler into the 
computer, results in long lines. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) The national immigration data base is generally updated 
every seven days. 
 
 
 
Watch list and Information Sharing 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) At this stage Montenegro does not have a name-based 
watch list system, used to screen travelers at the places of 
entry. The reason for that is the recent dissolution (in June) 
of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. The new watch-list 
is still under construction. 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Montenegro maintains the following central data bases: 
 
- list of persons wanted by domestic judiciary; 
 
- operative data (police findings, various information etc.); 
 
- punitive registry ; 
 
- registry of temporary/permanent residence. 
 
 
 
Montenegrin police screen travelers on the basis of available 
information. This includes names of deported persons, terrorist 
lookouts, criminal warrants, etc. 
 
 
PODGORICA 00000012  002 OF 002 
 
 
For screening individuals, Montenegrin Ministry of Interior uses 
Interpol, and UN lists. 
 
Montenegro has signed bilateral agreements on combating 
organized crime and terrorism with Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, 
Austria, Italy, and Albania. 
 
 
 
Biometrics 
 
---------- 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) Biometric systems are not in place at any port of 
entry. For the purpose of tracking entries and exists 
Montenegrin Interior Ministry does not use any of biometric 
technology, such as  fingerprint identification, facial 
recognition, iris recognition, hand geometry, retinal 
identification, DNA-based identification, etc. 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) Montenegrin Interior Ministry does not issue a machine 
readable passport containing biometric information. They plan to 
issue a passport, and other identification documents, with 
biometric data as of the middle of 2007; a U.S.-based firm 
(Datacard Group) has been selected as the supplier. 
FERRILL