A preliminary workshop was held in Sofia to exchange positions on the Draft Protocol on Cooperation between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia on Trafficking in Human Beings

On February 8, 2019, a preliminary workshop was held in the Administration of the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (NCCTHB) for an exchange of views on the Draft Protocol on cooperation between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia in the field of combating trafficking in human beings.

The meeting was opened by Prof. Nikolay Prodanov, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Chair of the NCCTHB, and Ms. Magdalena Nestorovska, Anti-Traffic Coordinator and State Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Republic of North Macedonia.

"We believe that such an agreement would, in the first place, contribute to a better fight against the human trafficking offense in our region, the exchange of good practices and, above all, more effective support and care for potential victims of trafficking. Secondly, it represents a concrete step towards closer cooperation between Bulgaria and the EU on the one hand and Macedonia on the other, in line with the priorities stated by Bulgaria and the European Commission and the clear messages from Macedonia. " Nikolay Prodanov.

"The signing of an agreement is entirely in line with the 2017 Treaty of friendship, good neighborliness and cooperation between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia, which has boosted so many positive developments in the bilateral relations as well as in the region as a whole."

Magdalena Nestorovska expressed confidence that working together and exchanging good practices with the Republic of Bulgaria in the field of combating trafficking in human beings will be successful tools for crime prevention and rapprochement between the two countries.

On the Bulgarian side, Mrs. Kamelia Dimitrova, secretary of the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, experts from the NCCTHB Administration, representatives of the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor's Office took part in the workshop. The Macedonian delegation included representatives of the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Illegal Migration, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, the subject, purpose and scope of a future Protocol was discussed, which was to request intensified cooperation in the field of prevention and fight against trafficking in human beings and support for victims. Countering organized crime, and in particular combating trafficking in human beings, is also a key criterion set out in the Strategy for a credible prospect of enlargement and a stronger EU commitment to the Western Balkan countries adopted in 2018.

The future Protocol will focus on the cooperation on victims' support and protection but also provides for exchange of experience between the competent institutions of both countries, conducting common information and awareness campaigns on trafficking prevention, training and coordinated referral actions, support and care for victims of trafficking.

The refining of the texts that will be included in the future agreement between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia and the start of negotiations is forthcoming.