Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) North Macedonia signed a cooperation agreement with the EU Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).
Under the agreement, North Macedonia will work with Frontex to manage migration and secure borders, the European Commission stressed in a statement released on Wednesday.
Ylva Johansson, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, and North Macedonian Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski signed the agreement with EU Council representative Jaroslav Ludva. EC President Ursula von der Leyen attended the signing, as did Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovačevski.
Importance of cooperation
Margaritis Schinas, European Commissioner for Promoting our European Way of Life, pointed out that closer cooperation between North Macedonia and Frontex shows that the country is committed to joining the EU.
He commended North Macedonia for making progress on its path to EU membership and concluded that “migration is something we can only manage by working together.”
Johansson noted that she is happy to sign the agreement “as it will strengthen our cooperation on migration and border management.”
She pointed out that Frontex will now be able to deploy teams to work with North Macedonia’s border guard to prevent cross-border crime and especially illegal crossings organised by human traffickers.
Johansson concluded that the new agreement will ensure “the security of the citizens of North Macedonia and the EU.”
The Commission pointed out that tighter cooperation between Western Balkans countries and Frontex will help to curb illegal migration and improve EU’s border security.
The body noted that Frontex has roughly 300 officers in the region, on the borders with Albania, Montenegro and Serbia.
The Commission stressed that the newly signed agreement will allow Frontex to carry out joint operations with North Macedonia and deploy officers to the county’s borders, which will “help to address increasing irregular migration and cross-border crime.”
It added that the EU Parliament and Council still need to give the green light for the agreement to come into effect, after which Frontex can deploy officers to North Macedonia in line with operational plans.
The EC reminded that the EU signed similar agreements with Albania, Montenegro and Serbia in 2018 and 2019, concluding that the bloc is committed to supporting North Macedonia operationally and financially.
