Minister of Interior Oliver Spasovski and Czech Ambassador Miroslav Rames signed Friday a donation agreement for the Department of Border Affairs and Migrations, and the Sector for Asylum within the Ministry of Interior.
Minister Spasovski thanked for the donation, saying it represents a significant contribution of the Czech government in the intensification of the bilateral cooperation, but also to the common agenda of secure national and European borders, the MoI said in a press release.
“The EUR 1 million donation will result in significant enhancement of the Macedonian police capacities in the sector of border protection and efficient migration management, as well as asylum issues”, said Spasovski.
Majority of the funds will be used for procurement of motor vehicles for enhanced border protection, while a portion will be allocated for technical equipment used in the asylum field, in the framework of a project implemented alongside the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Spasovski stressed the Czech Republic had previously provided grants on two occasions worth about EUR 940,000 in technical means and terrain vehicles, along with joint patrols on the southern border.
“The Czech Ministry of Interior deployed 214 police officers in 2016, followed by additional 160 officers in 2017. On Monday we expect the 11. contingent of Czech police officers for supervision of the Macedonia-Greece border, bringing the total number to 200, the largest foreign contingent thus far”, added Spasovski.
Ambassador Rames expressed satisfaction from the cooperation with the Macedonian Ministry of Interior and the fact that his country can support Macedonia in the management of the migrant problem, reads the press release.
