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Cooperation with Russian police unaffected by West-Moscow tensions, says Spainish minister

According to Acting Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, the police forces of both Spain and Russia should focus on "safeguarding citizens’ security"

MADRID, October 9. /TASS/. The crisis in relations between the West and Russia has not affected the level of cooperation between the Spanish and Russian police forces, Spain’s Acting Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told TASS on Wednesday.

The Spanish acting home minister attended a ceremony at Russia’s embassy in Madrid where officers of the Spanish Civil Guard were decorated with medals of the Russian Interior Ministry ‘For Strengthening International Police Cooperation.’

When asked by TASS whether certain problems between the West and Russia had affected the level of interaction between the two countries’ law enforcement agencies, Grande-Marlaska said: "No, they haven’t."

According to the acting minister, the police forces of both Spain and Russia should focus on "safeguarding citizens’ security."

"It should be taken into consideration regardless of disagreements," he explained.

"We can say that cooperation and interaction between the Russian and Spanish police forces are of much importance. We have the agreement of 1999, which means a formalized cooperation spanning 20 years," he stressed recalling that he had been a judge and "was able to see this level of cooperation for himself."

Grande-Marlaska noted "close cooperation [between police bodies of Spain and Russia] in the eradication of transnational crime organizations."

"We were able to disconnect the aforementioned organizations thanks to these joint efforts and interaction," he said.

Grande-Marlaska added that "further goals for interaction and cooperation are to counter cybercrime."

"Crime groups are using cyberspace on a larger and larger scale each time. They are attempting to make us more vulnerable," Grande-Marlaska, stressed, noting the importance of cooperation between the law enforcement agencies.

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