Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic meets with North Macedonia counterpart Pance Toskovski in Kumanovo

Photo: MUP

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, who is on an official visit to North Macedonia, met in Kumanovo with that country's Interior Minister Pance Toskovski.

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Dacic and bis colleague discussed improving police cooperation between the two countries, with a special emphasis on the fight against irregular migration.

"We had a successful meeting in Belgrade and here at the Presevo-Tabanovce border crossing. The problems we need to solve are the wait time at the crossings, although we have simplified the procedure so that people can pass with their ID card and there is only one 'stop', let's see what else we can improve in this regard. One current problem that we all have in the region and in Europe is irregular migration.

This year, we stopped around 7,000 illegal crossings at our border, we did a lot to reduce the total number of illegal migrants, and we received praise for that from the European Commission and the European Union," said Minister Dacic.

He also said that in North Macedonia and Serbia, migrants come from the European Union and EU's help is needed to solve that problem.

"The European Union must help us to solve this issue. We need funds for the realization of these projects, logistical help, equipment. We have 23 police officers from Hungary on the border with North Macedonia and 25 from Austria, where they help improve efficiency," stressed Dacic.

Ministers Dacic and Toskovski agreed that cooperation between the two countries in the field of internal affairs is very good, as well as that there is room for further improvement in areas of mutual interest.

"We have been helping as much as we could in emergency situations, whether personnel or helicopters are needed, we are always available," Dacic remarked, and added:

"The two of us, as ministers, are asking our people at the helm of the police forces to have good operational cooperation in the fight against organized crime, the fight against irregular migration, human trafficking, drug smuggling, against crime in general, terrorism, and to establish rapid exchange of information. There is a whole series of programs and projects that we talked about and our people are right here right now implementing them. We want to make this cooperation an everyday and common occurrence."

Toskovski assessed that cooperation between the two ministries is excellent and agreed that the meetings should be continuous in order to further improve it.

Dacic pointed out that he was particularly pleased that the meeting took place in Kumanovo, because he did his military service in that town, and has "fond memories of it."

Dacic also met with the president of the municipality of Kumanovo, Maksim Dimitrievski. Members of the municipal council from the ranks of the Serb national minority were present at that meeting.

(Telegraf.rs)