"We have a disturbing situation, an increase in the trend of illegal migrants from Greece via Albania to Montenegro. ... In five months of this year, we registered about 1,500 illegal crossings, which is significantly more than in the previous year, so it is obvious that the problem exists and that the trend is not good. But I believe we will work together, working in the region, to respond to this challenge. Montenegro has a special plan for this situation, has an Operating team that is functioning and I hope we will find the right solutions," said Markovic.
As stated by the Government, Markovic said that two days ago, the Ministers of Interior affairs in Montenegro and Albania agreed on a more intensive joint border control, that our country is intensifying cooperation with Frontex in operational actions, as well as in the exchange of information and risk analysis. He said that there is a Center for Migrants in our country and that special refugee reception sites have been prepared if this trend affects our country as well.
"We are strengthening our capacities, we have started a European Commission project to renovate an old Yugoslav watchtower (karaula) on the border with Albania, which could be a migration reception center in order to control things better. We will do everything in the way that we will not have experienced the big risking trend that took place in 2015, which did not affect Montenegro. But now obviously the route changes, across Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and further to Europe... We are working in all the fields to respond to this challenge and to reduce the pressure on the borders of the European Union," Markovic said in an interview with the Austrian public service ORF on Saturday during a working visit to Austria.
Text by Vijesti online, on June 17th, 2018, read more at Vijesti
