achievements and future efforts. The meeting concluded to: complete preparations for the
touristic season on both sides of the border; improve the efficiency and increase the number
of joint border patrols; facilitate monthly meetings of shift leaders at border crossings; and to
revise the draft Agreement on the Joint Information Exchange Centre at the joint border
crossing of Sukobin – Muricani between southern Montenegro and northern Albania.
On 6 June, the Mission, in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania, facilitated a
working meeting between delegations of the Montenegrin and Albanian border police
services in Podgorica. The meeting focused on the draft Agreement on the Joint Information
Exchange Centre at the joint border crossing point Sukobin–Muricani between southern
Montenegro and northern Albania. Legal experts from both delegations reviewed the draft
articles and prepared the final version, which was to be presented to the respective Ministers
of Interior of both countries for final revision and signature.
On 6 July, the Mission, in co-operation with the MoI, facilitated the annual regional meeting
between delegations of Montenegro’s and Serbia’s border police services, in Pljevlja. The aim
was to assess the joint police and customs control measures to be implemented during the
tourist season, as well as to evaluate the implementation of the Protocol on Joint Patrols
between the two countries in the first half of the year. Police officers from both delegations
presented results of the joint patrols and identified challenges for the forthcoming period.
On 5 and 13 November, the Mission organized separate regional meetings between the
border police services from BiH and Montenegro in Trebinje, BiH, as well as the border police
services of Albania and Montenegro in Shkoder, Albania. The latter was organized in cooperation with the OSCE Presence in Albania. Discussions at the meeting in Trebinje were
based upon the Agreement on Cross-Border Co-operation and the Protocol on Joint Patrols
between the two countries. The two border police services agreed that an assessment should
be made of alternative road crossings along the Montenegrin and BiH border. Discussions at
the meeting in Shkoder led to an agreement for operational meetings to improve
effectiveness and efficiency of joint patrols and to develop measures for suppressing irregular
migration.
On 17 December, the Mission, in co-operation with the Police Directorate, organized a
meeting between delegations of the border police services of BiH and Montenegro. The
meeting, held in Pluzine, Montenegro, focused on the implementation of existing border
agreements between BiH and Montenegro; improving bilateral co-operation; the possible
establishment of joint border crossing points; patrols and incident investigations; and
strengthening cross border communication in emergency situations. Attention was also given
to making the passage of people and goods more efficient during the summer season; cooperation on irregular migrants and returnees – specifically proper identification and handling
–, and other border management issues.
In December, the Mission supported the development of an Annex to the document
Limitations of Secondary Road Directions which Trespass over the Mutual State Border of
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro Suitable for Illegal Crossing of Motor Vehicles,
which proposes the opening of border crossing points for border traffic. The report provides
information on additional spots along the border suitable for opening border check points.
Moreover, the Mission supported the printing and distribution of 2,500 copies of guidance for
police officers to conduct interviews with assumed irregular migrants and 5,000 copies of a
map of Montenegro with listed border crossings and an environmental protection message in
the Albanian, English and Montenegrin languages for tourists coming to Montenegro. The
documents were distributed to border police officers at the border crossings.
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