Podgorica, (MINA) – The number of juvenile offenders has increased in Montenegro, said Interior Minister Danilo Saranovic, adding that the Government is considering introducing a social media ban for those under the age of 16 because, as he stated, the online space is a place increasingly used by criminals to recruit young people.

Saranovic made this remark in response to the question from Sladjan Kaludjerovic, Socialist People’s Party (SNP) MP, about the age structure of the perpetrators of the most serious crimes in recent years.

“When it comes to statistical data, we have an increase in the number of minors in the overall structure of offenders, from three percent in 2021 to 5.5 percent last year,” Saranovic said.

Saranovic said that the Government is considering introducing a ban on the use of social media for those under the age of 16, adding that all social actors should be involved in making that decision.

“It is not something that is unheard of in the European Union. I am glad that this idea is in a mature stage and I think that it will contribute to a stronger mechanisms for the protection of minors, especially in terms of the recruitment of minors by organized criminal groups”, said Saranovic.

Answering Kaludjerovic’s question about staffing needs in the police force after the changes to the Law on Internal Affairs, he said that the personnel shortage is between 1,500 and 2,000 officers.

According to Saranovic, due to the high infiltration of crime into the security sector in the previous period, the public trust in the police was shaken.