Montenegro makes progress towards resolving several refugee issues

Podgorica, Montenegro (10 February 2014) -- At today’s session, the Coordination Committee for monitoring implementation of the Strategy for resolving issue of refugees and internally displaced persons in Montenegro unanimously adopted the Report on the Implementation of the Action Plan for the period October-December 2013, with special reference to the refugee camp Konik.

The meeting paid particular attention to the progress made towards resolving the housing issue of displaced persons, providing assistance in obtaining documents, realisation of the right to voluntary return, resolving legal status and later birth registration of children born outside heath care facilities (150 in 2013). All activities set out in the 2013 action plan were implemented in a timely manner, the Coodribnation Committee concluded.

With the view to resolving the housing issues of refugees and internally displaced persons, EUR 12 million was approved through the Regional Housing Programmme. Tender for the construction of a residential building in the municipality of Nikšić will be announced in March 2014, while the preparation of the tender documentation for constructing buildings in Podgorica within the IPA project worth EUR 1.7 million is underway.

Documents from countries of origin were obtained for persons accommodated in social welfare facilities, and the process of resolving their status in Montenegro is underway, the Committee underlined.

When it comes to voluntary return, 10 families exercised the right, nine of them returned to Kosovo and one family returned to Serbia during 2013.

Implementation of the Action Plan has been fully supported by the European Commission, the UNHCR, the US Embassy in Podgorica and the Red Cross.