Tirana – MARRI Regional Ministerial Forum crowned the Albanian Presidency-in-Office (June 2017 – 2018). Over 50 participants took part at the event. Apart MARRI Participants’ delegations, the representatives of international organizations, partners and donors also attended the meeting.
The Deputy Interior Minister of Albania and MARRI National Coordinator Rovena Voda in capacity of MARRI Forum member, presented the yearlong activities and achievements that marked the Albanian Presidency among which, the adoption of the MARRI Strategy 2018-2020, European Commission positive assessment on MARRI reform and activities, Interpol’s recognition of MARRI’s role in WB stated in the letter of Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock and signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the MARRI and PCC SEE by their respective Secretaries – MARRI RC Director Tamara Mugosa and Mr. Thomas Herko.
In her welcoming address, Director Mugosa briefed the participants of the Forum about MARRI project activities, visibility and the new opportunities from the partners and donors in the past three years, while the “Regional platform for the exchange on non-personal migration data” as one of the ongoing project activities in the framework of IPA II project, was presented by IOM Migration and Data Expert seconded to MARRI Ivan Kochovski. Designated representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina MARRI Forum member Mladenka Hrkalo presented Priorities and Annual Program of Activities of the forthcoming MARRI Presidency.
MARRI Participants assessed that Albania has successfully completed one year of its Presidency-in-Office over MARRI, stressing high level of efficiency in implementation of the priorities set in the Annual Program of Activities. They unanimously supported further strengthening and continuous joint activities in order to improve functioning of MARRI and its Secretariat.
The Forum adopted the MARRI Annual Report for the period June 2017-June 2018, Financial Report for 2017 and Bosnia and Herzegovina Priorities and Annual Program of activities for June 2018 – June 2019 – all of them discussed and finalized on the regular session of MARRI Regional Committee meeting that was held a day before.
With special thanks to ambassador Mugosa for the devoted professional efforts and outstanding results, the Forum supported the candidacy of Mr. Sashko Kocev, Head of the Sector for IPA and Community Programmes at the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Macedonia as a new MARRI RC Director for the period of three years.
During the tour de table of the international organizations and donor countries, appreciation and support to MARRI offered Mia Marzouk from UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Francesco TORCOLI from Delegation of the European Union to Albania, the Head of PCC SEE Secretariat Thomas Herko, GIZ Office in Skopje Team Leader Michael Sames, UNHCR Representative in Albania Pablo Zapata, Head of IOM Office in Podgorica and designated envoy of IOM Regional Representative Dusica Zivkovic, Frontex International and European Cooperation Unit representative Mariyana Radeva Berket and Marc ELSAESSER from the Swiss Embassy in Kosovo*. Other organizations/institutions represented at the Forum were: UK – Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, Embassies of Switzerland, Montenegro and Kosovo* in Albania, Western Balkan Fund and IOM Office in Tirana.
Tirana Declaration that has been adopted at the very end of Forum session reflects political commitments and achievements of MARRI Participants in the format of this regional initiative.
View Gallery Committee Meeting
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.