48 6.7. Reception of returnees in the process of readmission During 2013 NPM conducted four visits to the airport “Nikola Tesla” in order to establish facts concerning the treatment of persons who are returning to the Republic of Serbia, according to the decision of the competent authorities of the countries with which Serbia concluded readmission agreements. During the visits, it was observed that police officers, upon landing of a plane, meet the group of returnees, and immediately, in a language they understand, inform them orally of their rights and the procedure for exercising the same. If deemed necessary, an immediate emergency medical care is provided. Subsequently interviews are being held in the Office for readmission of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration. On this occasion, basic personal and medical information of the returnees is collected with their consent for providing the same, they are given information regarding the readmission process, their rights and responsibilities, they fill out the questionnaire concerning the state of their needs in order to provide them with the necessary assistance in the coming period thus to promote reintegration. They are allowed to telephone their family and friends and it is explained that they can turn the Trusteeship for Migration and other services at the local level, for further assistance. In case they do not have money for transport to the place of residence, they are provided with transportation. Returnees who do not have family or any other form of support and accommodation in Serbia are referred to the Centers for emergency reception, which were established in Šabac, Bela Palanka and Zaječar. The centers provide accommodation and meals for up to 14 days. All officers at the airport “Nikola Tesla” in Belgrade (representatives of the Border Police Station and the Office for Readmission of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration) achieved a full cooperation with NPM as required by the law and provided all requested information. On the basis of identified situation, any form of ill/treatment of returnees in the process of readmission was not observed. 7. Follow-up steps – Future of the NPM In the previous period a working methodology has been developed and numerous activities have been carried out within NPM performance of duties. Aiming to prevent acts of torture, NPM visited so far over 140 institutions, made reports on those visits and sent around 600 recommendations to competent public authorities for the purpose of elimination of identified deficiencies, majority of which were accepted. NPM maintains a constant dialogue with the visited institutions in order to implement the recommendations. Protector of Citizens, performing duties of the NPM, established cooperation with the provincial Ombudsman of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and 14 non-governmental organizations. Serbian NPM maintains close cooperation with numerous NPMs from other countries, and is also the initiator and co-founder of the South East Europe NPM Network, joined by NPMs outside the region. A large number of publications on the prevention of torture was published. Numerous workshops and conferences were organized, as well as a public hearing in the National Assembly on the occasion of the previous annual report of the NPM. NPM maintains ongoing contact with the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture. For the purpose of efficient functioning of the NPM it is necessary to engage a sufficient number of employees or hired officers with the adequate knowledge in the field of prevention of torture. In 2013, three employees were engaged on the tasks of the NPM in the Republic of Serbia, of which two are employed for an indefinite period of time and one on a fixed-term contract.