BECICI, Montenegro – The Migration, Asylum, Refugees Regional Initiative (MARRI) organised its Regional Committee Meeting and Regional Forum, under the Montenegrin MARRI Presidency-in-Office, in Becici on 17 and 18 December 2009.
The meeting of the Regional Committee was held on 17 December 2009 in order to coordinate and discuss the MARRI Regional Centre Action Plan 2009-2010 and Concept Paper for Improvement of Cooperation within MARRI Framework, as well as to approve a number of strategic issues of the Initiative, such as: opening of the procedure for nomination of MARRI RC Director, bilateral agreements on mutual consular protection and services among MARRI MS, annual contribution of the MARRI MS and MARRI RC budget for 2010.
The second part of the Regional Forum took place on 18 December 2009. The meeting was opened by H.E. Mr. Osman Subasic, Deputy Minister of Interior and Ambassador Milorad Scepanovic, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Montenegrin MARRI Presidency-in-Office. The participants included representatives of MARRI Member States, the European Commission, international organisations (IOM, ICMPD, OSCE, UNHCR and UNMIK) and representatives of foreign embassies in Montenegro. The Forum provided an opportunity for its Member States to discuss current and future activities of MARRI in the framework of regional cooperation and regional ownership. The main issues of the Initiative and the Regional Centre were discussed and adopted during the Forum.
Reiterating the importance of regional cooperation in the field of migration, asylum, border management, visa regime and consular cooperation, refugees return, as a vital part of EU integration process and the commitment of the Governments of MARRI Member States for managing population movements in Southeastern Europe, based on the recommendations of the Thessaloniki Agenda, remains highly relevant with full support towards its realisation.