OSCE Enhances Regional Border Security in South-Eastern Europe with Training-of-Trainers for Forensic Document Experts in Tirana

Thirteen forensic document experts from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia strengthened their technical expertise and training skills at a training-of-trainers course organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in close co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania, Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Mission to Skopje from 06 to 10 October in Tirana, Albania.

The participants worked with senior forensic specialists from Greece to build their knowledge and capacities to ensure the long-term transfer of skills within their national border security services.

They engaged in a structured programme that combined theory, practice and peer learning. Technical sessions addressed substrate and security printing techniques, recognition of printing methods, and evaluation methodologies. Hands-on exercises with genuine and false documents helped to further sharpen their detection skills under realistic conditions. A distinct feature of the course was the participant presentations, which encouraged knowledge exchange and built confidence in how to deliver a training course.

The training course took a regional focus on the South-Eastern Europe to help to address the growing and evolving threat of document forgery and identity fraud. Criminal networks increasingly use counterfeit travel documents and impostor tactics to facilitate illegal cross-border movements, human trafficking, and other transnational crimes, which undermine national security, public safety, and regional co-operation.

As part of the course, participants visited the Port of Durres, where they observed real-time travel document verification in a busy maritime environment. Exposure to advanced security protocols and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) compliant examination procedures reinforced the participants’ understanding of the kinds of operational challenges faced by border officials and underscored the importance of applying forensic skills in practice.

The training concluded with a handover of certificates, marking the participants’ readiness to serve as national trainers.

This training course is part of a series of activities organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department since 2015 to support participating States in their efforts to detect and stop forged travel documents and impostors.