Skopje, 13 November 2021 (MIA) – The migration issue requires countries to seek solutions to the challenges and to be strongly committed to managing migration trends together to improve security cooperation in the region and beyond, Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski told Saturday’s conference on the migration crisis in countries in the Balkan and Adriatic region. Public Security Bureau head Sasho Tasevski, IPA’s representatives in the country and guests from neighboring countries, Frontex officials and representatives of the Macedonian Police Trade Union and the Association of Trade Unions also attended the conference, organized by the International Police Association (IPA) in North Macedonia. “The partnership of the police officers from North Macedonia with their colleagues from eight European countries demonstrated during the migrant crisis at the southern border, where majority of illegal crossings are registered, proves we can tackle serious migration challenges only after joining forces,” Spasovski said adding that IPA can largely contribute to improving the cooperation and finding modules in the efforts to address illegal migration and all forms of crime. Police focus their activities to prevent and on early warning all the while tackling simultaneously the challenges facing migrants from both a security and humanitarian point of view, said Tasevski. “This year, 15,895 illegal crossing attempts have been prevented, meaning almost 10,000 attempts less have been recorded compared to the same period last year mainly at the southern border. As a result, migrant smuggling cases dropped by 60 percent and the number of asylum applications also dropped by 70 percent. Successful fight against illegal migration and migrant smuggling is best reflected in the unity and partnership demonstrated almost daily by our police officers and their colleagues from the region and the EU,” he said.