Tirana – On 5 October 2018, MARRI RC Director Sashko Kocev attended the second part of EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum, dedicated on home affairs. The annual forum that was organized by Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in cooperation with European Commission and the support of Albania, is part of the strategy supporting the Western Balkans on their path towards the EU.
In a course of two working sessions, the Ministers of Interior of EU member states and Western Balkans had the opportunity to discuss current challenges related to migration and border management as well as the security, police cooperation, countering terrorism and violent extremism. The Ministers recognized the crucial importance of cooperation of Western Balkans with the Justice and Home Affairs Agencies and with EU Member States in combating migratory and security threats and welcomed regional initiatives designed to improve information and intelligence exchange both at strategic and at law enforcement level.
During the event, The Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, the Presidency and the Minister of Interior of the Republic of Albania, signed the European Border and Coast Guard Agency status agreement with Albania.