Respected
We would like to inform you that the International Police Association – IPA in the Republic of North Macedonia, IPA Region Skopje from 12 to 14 November 2021 hosted the 6-th Balkan-Adriatic Conference dedicated to “Migrant Crisis and the countries of the Balkan-Adriatic Region” which was held at the hotel Double Three by Hilton in Skopje.
Delegations of 9 member states plus the host, North Macedonia,
out of a total of 16 countries that are part of this Balkan-Adriatic group of countries, arrived on Thursday 10.11 and Friday 11.11.2021,i.e. delegations of Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania and Montenegro, as well as delegations from Germany, Poland and Israel as observer countries. Guests of the IPA Region Skopje were also the twin regions Halle / Saale from Germany, Zagreb from Croatia, Timisoara from Romania, Brcko from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nis from Serbia, Burgas from Bulgaria and Regija Jug from Montenegro.
We are proud to say that several delegations were led by their National IPA Presidents as Romania Mr. Tartareanu Mihai, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Mr. Aleksandar Grcic, Germany Mr.Oliver Hoffmann and Poland Mr. Piotr Wojcik
IPA Region Skopje and IPA Macedonia for the guests on Friday evening have organized the so-called Friendship dinner, ie dinner for introducing the foreign delegations and team in charge of organizing the Conference in the Restaurant “BIEN” in Skopje.
On November 132021, to the Conference arrived the Minister of Interior Mr. Oliver Spasovski and the Director of the Public Security Bureau Mr. Saso Tasevski, representatives of FRONTEX, IOED, the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia Mr. Darko Dimovski, the Macedonian Police Union led by Mr.Marjan Kicev, the ass. director Mr. Toni Stankovski and the Chief of SIA Skopje, Mr. Toni Jakimovski and delegations from all regions of the country, ie Prilep, Bitola, Kumanovo, Strumica, Ohrid, Tetovo, Stip and Veles.
The conference was opened with welcoming speeches by the President of IPA North Macedonia, Mr. Robertino Acevski and the President of the IPA Region Skopje Mr. Igno Stojkov
The Director of the Public Security Bureau, Mr. Sasho Tasevski, has addressed in the content of topic of this year’s Conference “The Migrant Crisis and the Countries of the Balkan-Adriatic Region”. In his speech, the Director Mr. Sasho Tasevski welcomed the delegations on behalf of the Public Security Bureau and his personal name as a member of the IPA organization, thanking for the invitation to participate , especially having in mind the objectives of this association, including strengthening the existing ties of friendship between police officers globally, promoting international cooperation and improving the public image of the police service.
In his addressing on the topic “Migration Crisis and the countries of the Balkan-Adriatic Region”, the Director said
I quote “Illegal crossings through the Western Balkans and the Adriatic route (Turkey – Greece – North Macedonia – Serbia and Greece-Albania-BiH – Croatia) are still active and this routes ,due to their geostrategic position, are used for transit by migrants from countries from Middle East and Africa who are trying to reach to on of Western European countries, mostly motivated by security or economic reasons.” In our country, attempts to cross the border illegally with neighboring countries show a downward trend by 36.5%. 15,895 attempts to cross the border illegally were prevented, or almost 10 thousand fewer attempts compared to the same period last year. There has been a downward trend of more than 60% in the detected cases of migrant smuggling and the number of new asylum applications has decreased by 70%.
This year as well, the organization and coordination of the activities related to the realization of the international activity “Joint operation for intensified surveillance on the southern border of RSM, by hiring police officers from abroad” continued. Police officers from eight countries (Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia) are participating in this activity. Together with members of the border police, in joint mixed patrols, they exercise intensified surveillance on the southern part of the state border with the aim of preventing attempts for illegal entry or exit of migrants from the Republic of Greece, as well as detecting cases of migrant smuggling.
The Minister of Interior of North Macedonia, Mr. Oliver Spasovski, also addressed the Conference, welcoming the present delegates and guests on behalf of the Ministry of Interior and thanking himself for the invitation and emphasizing that it is a privilege to attend the Conference, organized by the International Police Association, which includes over 70 countries from all over the world, including North Macedonia.
In the context of the jubilee 71 years of existence of the world IPA and 10 years existence of IPA North Macedonia, the Minister, Mr. Oliver Spasovski, emphasized that he is especially proud
I quote “That the family of IPA family is constantly growing day by day, and if at the beginning it consisted of about 50 enthusiastic police officers from the Ministry of Interior, today that number is over 7,000 members, with numerous international activities and contacts around the world. In fact, that was the initial idea of the founder of this association, Sir Arthur Thorpe, Service through friendship and companionship of police officers around the world. ”
He also referred to the fact that the work of the current leadership of IPA and all its members is recognized by the IPA member states by organizing several international events, including the Central-Eastern European “and the” Mediterranean Conference “in 2022. The commitment, enthusiasm and work of the IPA section in the country were recognized internationally, which resulted in the organization of the WORLD IPA CONGRESS in 2024, when IPA North Macedonia will host the largest gathering of police organizations from around the world ”
and welcomed the IPA humanitarian action
I quote: “On this occasion, I would especially like to welcome the humanitarian actions organized in order to facilitate the coping whit the Covid 19 pandemic, in which IPA members from the country and IPA regions, as well as socially responsible companies and individuals selflessly committed themselves to help secure and distribute protective equipment intended for field police officers who were on the front lines at the onset of the pandemic.”
Concluding its Addressing by giving full support to our association, this is part of this world police family, after which it declared the conference open
I quote: “I am convinced that today’s event will complementary occasion for the IPA Section in the Republic of North Macedonia to continue with undiminished intensity and special commitment to deepen international police cooperation. Through our mutual friends around the world, to develop the idea of promoting the police service, the Ministry of Interior and thus the Republic of North Macedonia, to continue on the path of mutual respect and assistance to the police services in the world, for which YOU HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT”
Let me declare the Conference of the International Police Association in the Republic of North Macedonia open, and wish you a successful discussion, strengthening of the existing and creating new friendships that will last and be nurtured.
Mr. Kyriakos Karkalis from Greece also addressed the conference via video link in his capacity as Vice President of the World IPA, who for justified reasons was not able to attend, and among other things pointed out
I quote: “There are some times in life when we can not make plan ….. Against my will, due to a serious family problem, I was not able to attend the Balkan-Adriatic meeting that took place in Skopje from 12-14 November 2021. Nevertheless, I am really happy, because Section North Macedonia organized perhaps the most successful regional meeting ever. After all this meeting is the largest of our IPA Association and that creates in all of as additional responsibilities for the progress and development of IPA. A big thanks to President Robertino Acevski who gave me the opportunity to address the delegates even by video conference. SERVO PER AMIKEKO”
In the second working part of the Conference, after concluding that there is a quorum for work on the proposal of Mr. Robertino Acevski, the agenda was unanimously adopted.
Further during the Conference has also addressed:
– The Secretary General of the IPA Region Skopje, Mr. Igor Manojloski who had a presentation on the topic “Migrant Crisis and the countries of the Balkan-Adriatic Region”, prepared in cooperation with Department for Border Police.
– Mr. Demitriou George and Mr. Kyriakos Perikleous from the IPA National Section of Cyprus who had a video presentation for the upcoming IPA International Folklore Festival, who is planed to be held in Cyprus in 2022
– Mr. Vojislav Dragovic, Vice President of the IPA National Section of Montenegro, who had a presentation at the upcoming IPA Sports Games 2022 in Bar, Montenegro
– Mr. Israel Eran, Secretary General of IPA Israel and member of the SCC.
At the end of the working part, the flag of the Balkan-Adriatic Group was handed over to the President of the IPA National Section of the IPA Bosnia and Herzegovina Mr. Aleksandar Grcic, which will host the next Balkan-Adriatic Meeting in 2022.
The conference was closed by the President of IPA North Macedonia Mr. Robertino Acevski after which all the delegations exchanged special gifts and were awarded whit coins dedicated to the 10th anniversary of IPA North Macedonia.
In the afternoon, all domestic and foreign guests visited the Winery “STOBI” in Gradsko where they had the opportunity to enjoy wine tasting
Gala dinner which was attended by IPA members from the country and abroad, delegations and IPA friends and company representatives that help and support IPA was held at the Restaurant “Denicija” in Skopje.
On the 14 November all the delegates were invited to attend to opening of the New IPA North Macedonia & IPA Region Skopje Offices located at, str. Anton Popov no. 1-IV, second floor, few 100 meters from the Ministry of Interior
We take this opportunity to thank all our members who were involved in the organization of this conference and our IPA friends who selflessly helped and supported us both to the Conference and the New IPA Offices.
