The MARRI (Migration, Asylum, Refugees Regional Initiative) Regional Centre in partnership with the Ministry of Interior organized Thursday in Skopje the third meeting of the Project Strategic Committee, where a memorandum for cooperation expansion in the field will be signed with Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova.

The event takes place in the framework of the project "Joint comprehensive approach in building co-operation between MARRI and SEPCA (Southeast Europe Police Chiefs Association) Member States' border police on international airport border crossing points".

Addressing the meeting, Interior Minister Gordana Jankuloska said Macedonia in line with its determination for Euro-Atlantic integration participated in a myriad of regional and international initiatives, projects and activities in the interest of stability and prosperity. She added that the country had made a breakthrough in relation to migration policies, integrated border management, visa liberalisation...

Welcoming the project on strengthening border police capacities at international airports, EU Ambassador Aivo Orav stated that the issues of illegal migration, organised crime and terrorism should be treated as main challenges for regional cross border cooperation. EU's assistance and backing in the field significantly contributes to regional cooperation, according to him.

Ravin Marday of the Swiss Federal Office for Migration said that joint efforts led to more effective management and tackling of the threat of illegal migration. "By improving regional cooperation and information exchange linked to migration, MARRI has a leading role in the region and in such context, border police play the main role in tackling illegal migration of people and goods," he noted.

Director of the MARRI Regional Center, Trpe Stojanovski said the project was being implemented since 2011 with an aim to establish a comprehensive effective inter-regional network of cooperation between border police at international airports.