Skopje, 7 June 2023 (MIA) – Minister of Interior Oliver Spasovski was on a working visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, where he participated in the Sarajevo Migration Dialogue conference and met with the Bosnian Minister of Security, Nenad Nešić.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Interior, at the meeting Spasovski and Nešić talked about intensifying the cooperation between the two ministries in areas of mutual interest.

“To that end, we spoke about several agreements between the two ministries concerning support and cooperation in joint training; establishing joint working teams; as well as cooperation in the field of forensic investigation,” said Minister Spasovski.

On the topic of migration, since North Macedonia is the first country from the region that has signed and operationalized the Agreement with the European Union on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in the Republic of North Macedonia, Spasovski voiced the readiness of the Ministry to share their experience over the negotiations and the harmonizing of the text of the Agreement with the Bosnian Ministry of Security.

To that end, at the meeting, Minister Spasovski handed the Bosnian Minister a copy of the signed Agreement, and proposed the establishment of a working group composed of members of the Ministry that negotiated the Agreement with the European Agency.

According to Spasovski, it is time to recognize that the region of the Western Balkans is becoming a driver of cooperation and joint action, and an example for commitment in solving joint security challenges and joint participation in regional projects and activities.

“From the aspect of our bilateral cooperation, it is clear that we have a lot of shared issues and shared interests, and in the coming period we will remain committed to promoting joint action, demonstrating our serious partnership in the fight against current and new challenges on the national and regional level in the field of organized crime and illegal migration,” stressed Spasovski.

The Bosnian Minister of Security, Nešić, voiced his sincere gratitude to Spasovski for the excellent cooperation between the two Ministries, and said they have identified their shared goals – EU membership and the contribution of the ministries to that process.

“We are in charge of two ministries that have a lot of responsibility for the security and stability of the region, and with it – Europe, considering our geographic position. After Europol, and establishing complete cooperation, our next step is cooperation over the Frontex Agreement,” said Nešić.

Photo: MoI