MINSK, 21 June (BelTA) – Belarus and the EU may initial the text of the readmission agreement this year, BelTA learned from Aleksei Begun, Head of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Belarusian Interior Ministry.
On 20 June the Interior Ministry held consultations of experts on the draft readmission agreement between Belarus and the EU with the participation of representatives of the Belarusian government bodies and a delegation from the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission.
“The results are very positive. The text of the agreement has been finalized by the experts. Despite the firm position of the EU experts, Belarus insisted on a transitional period for non-readmission of third-country nationals. We have reasons to believe that once everything is approved, we will be able to initial the text of the agreement this year,” Aleksei Begun said.
This will be followed by the internal procedures regarding the signing and ratification of the agreement. Aleksei Begun added that the package of documents includes an agreement on visa facilitation. On 20 June the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also held consultations on the matter. The results are positive. Regarding the date when the readmission agreement may be signed, Aleksei Begun noted: “When the two texts are prepared and finalized, then we will sign them. I think that by November both agreements will be ready. The EU experts say that it will be good if the agreement on readmission is signed this year, or at least both texts are initialed simultaneously,” Aleksei Begun noted.
The transitional period is necessary to prepare the infrastructure for accommodating illegal migrants, strengthen the logistics support for the interior bodies and border services. The country also needs to get ready “for a change in the number of people that the EU will be sending here under the readmission obligations to be further sent to their home countries,” Aleksei Begun said.
According to the head of the department, the international technical assistance project, which will require some €7 million, envisages a number of events. The project is implemented by the EU with the help of the IOM Office in Belarus jointly with the interior bodies, border services, and also a number of migration organizations. The project, scheduled for implementation in 2017-2022, envisages the construction of centers for illegal migrants both at the interior bodies and border services, improvement of the material and technical infrastructure, and acquisition of equipment and vehicles for the transportation of illegal migrants. The project also envisages the development of the corresponding information system. The work will also include efforts to strengthen the non-government organizations dealing with illegal migrants and improve the knowledge of the interior bodies and border services in the fight against illegal migration.
