OUTSORCING AND COOPERATION WITH THIRD COUNTRIES: SOME OBSERVATIONS FROM NORTH MACEDONIA ON IRREGULAR MIGRATION
Ana Nikodinovska Krstevska Olga Koshevaliska Elena Maksimova
Webinar on ‘Outsorcing and cooperation with third countries’, organized by the Kapodistrian University of Athens, 08.07.2020 through ZOOM Readmission agreements between EU and North Macedonia and other bilateral agreements:
1. Readmission agreements with EU, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Benelux countries and Croatia (total 27).
2. Implementing protocols with Austria, the Czech Republic, Benelux countries (total 5).
3. Initiated implementing protocol with Greece but not yet ratified.
4. Negotiations with Turkey undergoing from 2010. Status of the implementation of the Readmission agreement between EU and North Macedonia in the period 2009 – 2019:
European Readmission of own nationals: Readmission of third country nationals and stateless persons: Commission Progress report for year:
2009 697 0 2010 839 0 2011 1.022 0 2012 1.067 0 2013 1.328 0 2014 1.213 0
2015 1.832 0 2016 5.975 = return rate 128% 0 / The country needs to put in place a return mechanism for irregular migrants 2017 There is no precise data. 2018 There is no precise data. Return rate The return of third country national is very low. remains above 100%.
2019 There is no precise data. return rate The return of third country national is very low. remains above 100%
Data retrieved from the Progress reports of the European Commission for North Macedonia for the periods from 2010 to 2019. Possible reasons for the deficiencies in the implementation of the Readmission agreements as regards to third country nationals:
1. Lack of signed readmission agreements between North Macedonia and third countries of origin or transit like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq or other.
2. Loopholes in the Dublin system and their repercussion towards third no EU – states (ex. State responsible for examining asylum application)
3.Return procedures are too costly (example from 1000 to 9000 euro per person)
Consequences: Push backs of migrants along the Western Balkan Route Illegal migrants in the period of 2010 to 2019 Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Illegal 1.103 469 682 1.132 1.750 1.949 127.358 4.129 16.895 24.601 migrants Albania 892 216 328 400 624 347 374 252 241 215 Afghanistan 16 57 65 134 291 95.782 35.079 963 2.625 6.249 Syria / / / 116 570 216.393 49.633 476 582 1.156 Pakistan / 23 88 73 21 5.751 4.143 1.033 4.970 7.820 Iran 1 4 1 4 3 54.808 19.508 250 959 501 source: Ministry of interior
Flagship initiative Police cooperation with Europol Special measure project (I, II, III) Police cooperation
As of December 2015, police officers from Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Slovakia have been present, assisting the North Macedonian border police in coping with the migration situation and combatting irregular migration and migrant smuggling. Problems in practice
? Reception and transit center Vinojug, Gevgelija (border with Greece) → 2016, headed to Tabanovce March, reception and transit April center → crossing the Main routes: border with Serbia near village Miratovac.
Village Moin, west of Vardar, or villages Stojakovo and Selemli, east of the Vardar, or trough Mount Belasica. !Bogorodica border crossing point is used for smuggling of migrants in 2016, passenger and freight March, vehicles, or by passenger and freight trains at the April, → Gevgelija railway border crossing! Statistics: 2020: In the first three weeks of 2016 2017 2018 2019 January 2020, persons 127.358 4129 16895 24601 illegal crossing of prevented from 1,365 migrants. attempt of March, April and May (Covid 19, illegal crossing closure of borders), 3047 migrants cases of 108 19 58 81 were detected and smuggling of caught, 01.06 - migrants 09.06 - 878 illegal migrants were Measures 80 36 62 96 detected and against caught, During the perpetrators first ten days of June, 4 crimes for number of 1.961 212 891 1529 smuggling of smuggled migrants - 186 migrants illegal migrants detected were detected Profiling illegal migrants - victims of smuggling, trafficking and violations of HR
• most common • Afghanistan, • 2016 – 2019 irregular Pakistan, Syria, unaccompanied
migrants Origin Iraq, Iran and children and a Gender transiting Morocco. smaller number through the • Asia and Africa of pregnant territory of women, Macedonia in the • almost no elderly
period 2016-2019 groups Vulnerable people or persons are adult males with disabilities
Key indicators: - debt (extortion of additional funds, threatening to hurt the other members of the families if they do not pay the amounts they ask for),
- sexual and psychological harassment (specifically of women and uncompanied children) Thank you for your attention!