A regional center of the UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (ODCCP) opened Monday in Bratislava, Czech Republic, with the aim of helping that country as well as Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia combat organized crime, drug trafficking, money laundering and corruption.

Ambassador Pavel Vacek of the Czech Republic said the center would help revive regional cooperation between the countries, whose anti-drug coordinators are scheduled to meet on 11 July in Vienna to discuss strategy.

ODCCP head Pino Arlacchi said Bratislava was selected to host the regional center because of its geographical position and its history of cooperation with the Slovak government