”The Situation and the Challenges with Illegal Migrants and Asylum Seekers” was the topic of the workshop held in EU Info Center on the day dedicated to victims of torture-26 June. The workshop was attended by representatives of the National Preventive Mechanism-Ombudsman of the Republic of Macedonia, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Human Rights from Austria and the Austrian Ombudsman Board, as well as representatives of the Ministries of internal affairs, labor and social policy, UNHCR and non-governmental organizations.

”In the Annual Reports of the National Preventive Mechanism for 2013 and 2014 several weaknesses were noted that resulted in issuing recommendations for the treatment and protection of persons of illegal entry into the country, as well as for the asylum seekers. At this workshop we would like to stress the importance of the human treatment towards these people, but also to mark the International Day in support of the victims of torture and to point at the need for decent accommodation and human treatment towards these persons”, said at the opening of the workshop Ombudsman Mr. Ixhet Memeti.

Ms. Anica Tomshic-Stojkovska, a representative of the Ombudsman-National Preventive Mechanism spoke about the “Situation and the challenges with the undocumented migrants and asylum seekers in the Republic of Macedonia”, while as Mr. Moritz Birk and Ms. Tiphanie Crittin from the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute spoke about the situation with undocumented migrants and asylum seekers in the light of the fight against torture and ill-treatment. The representatives of the ministries for internal affairs and the labor and social policy talked about “The role and the activities undertaken by the state institutions for identification, protection, shelter and respect of the rights of the undocumented migrants“.

The workshop was organized within the frames of the twinning project named as “Promotion of the Ombudsman competences and Enhancement of its Capacities” which the Ombudsman implements in cooperation with the office of the Austrian Ombudsman Board and Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Human Rights.