Geneva: Statement by Minister Suad Numanovic at 61th Session of the Executive Committiee of the High Commisssioner's Programme

61th SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S PROGRAMME

GENEVA, October 4th to October 8th 2010

STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF LABOR AND SOCIAL WELFARE
SUAD NUMANOVIĆ MD 


Mr. Chairman, Mr. High Commissioner, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to address you on behalf of Montenegro and to express gratitude and support to the High Commissioner and the UNHCR, for the care and protection they are providing to refugees all over the world, implementing durable solutions for them.
Montenegro is proud to be recognized as a state which respects international standards and international law (as well as international obligations) and shows humanity by accepting thousands of displaced persons who found themselves in the territory of our country.

Mr. Chairman,

Let me remind you that in year 1999 Montenegro provided a temporary shelter for 140,000 displaced persons on its territory, which at that time constituted a quarter of the population of Montenegro.
Montenegro has responded to that challenge, and finding durable solutions for displaced persons in Montenegro were one of the priorities of the Government of Montenegro. And we will continue with this policy.

In the past the Government of Montenegro adopted a series of laws which define the issues of integration and repatriation for the displaced and internally displaced persons. Some of them are the National Strategy for Durable solution for refugees and internally displaced persons in Montenegro adopted in March 2005, Action plan for Resolving the status of Displaced persons from the former Yugoslav republics and Internally displaced persons from Kosovo residing in Montenegro adopted in October 2009.

These documents correspond to the legislation governing the rights of refugees and displaced persons through the implementation of the Asylum Law, Law on Citizenship, the Law on Foreigners, as well as through amending the existing Law on Foreigners.


In accordance with the Action Plan during the last year re-registration of internally Displaced Persons from Kosovo was organized in Montenegro. According to the latest data 10,985 internally displaced persons from Kosovo and 5,769 displaced persons from former Yugoslav republics are currently residing in Montenegro.

The above mentioned action plan provides durable solution for status of displaced and internally displaced persons, as follows:

- Through access to the status of a foreigner with permanent residence and
- Through the use of the right to voluntary return.

The person with the status of foreigner and permanent residence, will have access to all rights, including the right to work and employment, education, professional development, recognition of diplomas and certificates, social security, health and pension insurance, tax relief, market access, labor and services, freedom of association, linking and membership in organizations representing the interests of workers or employers, as well as the rights stipulated by special laws.

Until they get the status of an foreigner with permanent residence, displaced persons in Montenegro in accordance with the “Decree on the Manner of exercising the right of displaced persons from former Yugoslav republics and internally displaced persons from Kosovo residing in Montenegro”, exercise their rights as citizens of Montenegro in the field of labor and employment, education, social care and childcare, health care and insurance, and pension and disability insurance.

Voluntary return is an important part of our strategy to provide durable solutions for displaced persons. Until today 2, 650 displaced persons were voluntarily repatriated to Kosovo. It is important that all displaced persons should have the option of voluntary return. Providing conditions for safe and sustainable return is definitely on the side of the country of origin of displaced person. Montenegro as a state where displaced persons are residing supports the voluntary return, with condition of providing the necessary conditions in their places of origin. In this process, understanding and assistance of the international community is more then necessary.

Montenegro has built legislative framework for durable solutions of the problems of displaced persons. The most important is that these solution are implemented in practice, and it is something what Montenegro determined to and what we are doing.

Montenegro, as a multicultural and multiethnic society provides hospitality to all displaced persons regardless of their religion or nationality. The unique wish of displaced person is that their displacement is temporary. That is why we all advocate for durable solutions.

Mr. Chairman,

Finally I would like to thank the UNHCR, as a partner organization that has all these years provided support to the Montenegrin Government. We believe that our future cooperation will be continued in the same way.

Thank you.