POVERTY IN MODERN SOCIETY - A CHALLENGE FOR MODERN SLAVERY AND A PROFITABLE "INDUSTRY" OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE BALKANS

Human trafficking is a widespread and complex issue, especially in the Balkans, necessitating further research and analysis to understand its causes and implications. This paper focuses on the punitive and criminological aspects of human trafficking in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and the Republic of North Macedonia. The analysis reveals that human trafficking is a pervasive problem in these countries, posing significant challenges for suppression. Factors such as the migrant crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and poverty have exacerbated the difficulty of preventing human trafficking. The entire Balkan region is facing challenges in combating human trafficking, as underscored in recent reports by the United States State Department.