Evils of the future - Organized crime and terrorism

The aim of this article is to highlight two "evils" of contemporary society: terrorism and organized crime. Similar organizational structures and the pursuit of monetary gains characterizing these two phenomena are the reason why they are so frequently addressed in theory and topical literature. The author deals with some problems of combating organized crime and terrorism and is also concerned with the extent to which these two are spread in the new European countries. He further examines certain preventative measures and suggests some answers to those questions regarding organized crime and terrorism that are often raised by the general public. A very significant aspect of combating organized crime and terrorism is prevention and cooperation; therefore, special attention is to be paid to these issues, particularly in the countries in transition. The article also addresses the pact between criminal and terrorist organizations which leads to narcoterrorism. Finally, the actions that governments can take in their struggle against organized crime and terrorism are discussed, and the importance of the international cooperation in this field is once more emphasized.