Interior ministers Konjević, Rexhepi: Montengro and Kosovo cherish excellent cooperation

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Pristina, Kosovo (26 March 2014) – Montenegrin Minister of the Interior Raško Konjević and his Kosovo’s counterpart Bajram Rexhepi met yesterday in Pristina to discuss cooperation between these two ministries, particularly to arrange the completion of border demarcation between the two countries.

The meeting discussed the current status of the Montenegrians in Kosovo and agreed on its improvement and their further integration into the society. Minister Rexhepi highlighted that Montenegrins are already part of the Law on the Promotion of Communities and will soon be included in the Constitution of Kosovo.

Minister Konjević underlined the importance of border security, having in mind the European path of both countries. In that regard the two officials arranged the establishment of a trilateral centre for supervising the border in Plav and signed the Agreement on the Police Cooperation, as well as several agreements and protocols related to border crossing and border traffic. These agreements are aimed at strengthening border cooperation and the establishment of border infrastructure through the utilisation of the EU funds.

The two officials also addressed the issue of internally displaced persons. Minister Konjević informed Minister Rexhepi about numerous activities the Government of Montenegro is undertaking in order to create conditions for those willing to stay in Montenegro to regulate their status on the legal basis and to submit a request for obtaining the status of a foreigner with permanent residence no later than 31 December 2014, Minister Konjević stressed.

Minister Rexhepi expressed Kosovo’s willingness to provide support for Montenegro’s efforts in that regard and underlined that the Kosovo’s Interior Ministry will send biometric records so that internally displaced persons can obtained the required documents. He added that Kosovo is interested in the return of internally displaced persons and willing to provide them with Kosovar identity documents.

Having in mind the fact that a large number of tourists from Kosovo spend their vacations in Ulcinj, the two officials agreed to engage Kosovar police officers during the summer season in the most southern Montenegrin municipality.

During his stay in Kosovo, Minister Konjević also met with Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Kosovo Enver Hoxhaj and Minister of Security Forces of Kosovo Agim Çeku.