MINSK, 13 May (BelTA) – Senators approved the draft law “On the ratification of the agreement on readmission between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of the Republic of Armenia” at the meeting of the eighth session of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus of the seventh convocation, BelTA has learned.
The agreement provides for the obligation of Belarus and Armenia to accept, at the request of the other party, both their own citizens and citizens of third countries and stateless persons who have entered or are within the territory of the state of the requesting party in violation of its legislation on the entry, exit and stay of foreign citizens and stateless persons.
“Today the world community recognizes that one of the most effective and promising tools in countering illegal migration is the use of such a form of forced return of migrants as readmission. The agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of the Republic of Armenia on readmission was signed in Minsk on 8 October 2021. The agreement stipulates mutual obligations of Belarus and Armenia to accept, upon request of one of the parties, their own citizens, citizens of third countries and stateless persons who have entered or are in the territory of the requesting state with violations of migration rules of the state,” said Belarusian Internal Affairs Minister Ivan Kubrakov.
The readmission agreement defines: the content and procedure for sending requests for readmission or transit, the mechanism for transferring and receiving persons subject to readmission, the competent authorities responsible for implementing the agreement and the distribution of powers between them, the conditions for the transfer of persons with escort, including in the case of transit of third-country nationals and stateless persons.
“In accordance with the agreement, the parties undertake to allow, at the request of the competent authority of the requesting state, the transit of third-country nationals and stateless persons transferred by readmission to third states through the territory of the requested state. Under the document, they are also obliged to take back mistakenly transferred persons, to assist persons accompanying persons subject to readmission, to cover, at the expense of the requesting state, all transport expenses arising during readmission and transit to the border of the state of final destination; to protect the personal data of the persons subject to readmission, which the competent authorities of the parties give to each other with regard to the implementation of the agreement,” said the minister.
“The agreement does not contain any provisions contradicting the Constitution and international commitments of the Republic of Belarus. Its implementation in the future will contribute to the strengthening of interdepartmental relations between the competent authorities of Belarus and Armenia in matters of civilized approach to the regulation of migration processes,” Ivan Kubrakov stressed.
The draft law determines the competent authorities responsible for its implementation. “It is the Internal Affairs Ministry and the State Border Committee for the Republic of Belarus, and the Migration Service of the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure for the Republic of Armenia,” said Chairman of the International Affairs and National Security Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Sergei Rachkov.
Photos by Maksim Guchek
