The chief of State Migration Service met with the management of Repatriation and Departure Service of the Ministry of Justice and Security of the Kingdom of Netherlands

The meeting of the chief of State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan II rank state migration service counselor Firudin Nabiyev with the management of Repatriation and Departure Service of the Ministry of Justice and Security of the Kingdom of Netherlands was held in the atmosphere of exchange of opinion and the importance of high level visits between the migration authorities of both countries regarding the exploration of applied and innovative practices in the activities of both parties. Broad information on the establishment history of State Migration Service, activity directions, regional departments, the detention centers for illegal migrants and the measures taken for the implementation of state policy in migration sphere met with the interest. The significance of application of “one-stop-shop” principle in the management of migration processes in Azerbaijan and the assignment of competences of unified state authority to the State Migration Service was emphasized. It was brought into attention that the application of Unified Migration Information System allows to integrate all existing information databases in the country, to control the issues like the place of stay, residence and work of foreigner since his/her entry to the country until the departure. The role of this system in fighting against illegal migration was noted.

The Migration Code which was adopted in Azerbaijan for the first time and came into force on August 1, 2013 was also talked about.

It was noted that the high level tolerance in our country is one of the major factors effecting the migration processes and no single infringement of laws based on national, ethnic and religious motives has been recorded in respect to migrants in our republic till now.

The appraisal of protection of migrants’ rights in Azerbaijan by international organizations as a reflection of achievement of our country, as well as the Service, in migration sphere as a result of care and attitude of President Ilham Aliyev was esteemed.

The present implementation status of the “Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan on the readmission of persons residing without authorization” signed on February 28, 2014 and came into force on September 1 of the same year was considered. The works done for the approval of the draft of “the Protocol between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the States of the Benelux (The Kingdom Belgium, The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, The Kingdom of the Netherlands) on implementing the Agreement were discussed.

The significance of cooperation regarding the persons attempting to deceive the authorities of the countries which they entered using the illegal migration routes, as well as false documents and violated the declared purposes of arrival was touched upon. The provision of access of State Migration Service to the “DISCS- Document Information System” in which the samples of identity documents of majority countries are gathered and its efficiency in fighting against illegal migration were noted as a successful example for bilateral relations.

The cooperation with the Kingdom of Netherlands in the framework of Twinning project on “Support to the professional development of the staff of the State Migration Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan" implemented through 2013-2015 with the State Migration Service being the beneficiary was remembered with pleasure.

The joint cooperation was decided to be expanded through the project of “Support to the Implementation of the Mobility Partnership with Azerbaijan (MOBILAZE)” being implemented in the framework of “Joint Declaration on a Mobility Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the EU and its participating Member States” signed on December 5, 2013.

Later on the exchange of opinion was held on other migration issues of mutual interest.