Cooperation in the field of migration between Azerbaijan and Croatia was discussed

The delegation led by chief of State Migration Service II rank state migration service counsellor Firudin Nabiyev met with the high officials of Croatian Ministry for Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy in Zagreb.

At the meeting it was mentioned that today states take a sensitive approach to demography, family, youth and social policy. Chief of State Migration Service stressed the important measures taken in Azerbaijan to achieve growth in demographic processes in line with social and economic strategy of the country in order to ensure strengthening families and regulating migration. The country gained a number of success as a result of youth policy implementing by the Azerbaijani Government. Noting the next – third State Program on Azerbaijani youth covering 2017-2021 which has been signed by President Ilham Aliyev in the recent days, F.Nabiyev grounded with facts that this document will boost personal development of the youth and large-scale work in the country.

Service chief noted that Azerbaijani Government adopt laws on protection of family values, particularly realizes a state policy in the fields of child rights, family policy and gender equality taking into account family relations as one of the significant aspects of human life.

F.Nabiyev informed about special importance attached to family reunification principle in Migration Code which was firstly adopted in Azerbaijan and entered into force in 2013. According to the Code foreigners and stateless persons who are married to Azerbaijani citizen have concession even when they are carriers of infectious diseases.

Furthermore, the issues related with application procedure to SMS, in case he/she intends to obtain refugee status, by the person who is under 18 and arrived in the territory of the country unaccompanied or became unaccompanied after arrival, their social protection, right and interests were clarified by the initiative of SMS in 2017. Now, within the territory of the country those persons are considered equal to the children who lost their parents and deprived of parental care and their social protection is guaranteed by the state.

Informing about the operation of Detention Centers for Illegal Migration of SMS, Service chief mentioned that foreigners and stateless persons are detained in special living rooms in the Center considering their family belonging, age, sex, imprisonment, health according to Migration Code and “Internal Disciplinary Rules of Detention Centers for Illegal Migrants” approved with the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers in 2016. Separate placement is provided for compulsory placed persons from voluntarily placed ones, for women from men, for people under the age of 18 from adults with the exception of being family members.

The information on both our country and measures implemented regarding regulation of migration processes was of particular interest to the meeting participants.

On the same day a meeting was held with the management of Croatian Central State Office for Croats Abroad. At the meeting which is held for the purpose of acquaintance with the Office’s activity and learning Croatian experience in reintegration, employment and social protection of returned or readmitted Croats, SMS chief stated that arrival date, residence and work place, as well as departure of every foreigner and stateless person is kept under full control via Unified Migration Information System of State Migration Service which is established in 2009 in order to conduct record of foreigners and stateless persons in the country.

F.Nabiyev stressed regular legal assistance to the readmitted citizens rendered by the Service to ensure effective and sustainable socio-economic integration of those persons to the society. Moreover, cooperation with the ministries of Labour and Social Protection of Population, Education and Health and other state authorities, as well as international organization is realized and practical measures are taken in accordance with the need for effective and sustainable socio-economic integration to the society on the bases of surveys conducted with the readmitted citizens and their applications to the Service.

Noting special attention attached to the development of bilateral relation in migration area by SMS and ongoing works in the direction of signing agreements on cooperation in the field of migration with a number of countries Service chief drew attention to the issue on signing Implementation Protocol of the Agreement pursuant to the Readmission Agreement with the European Union which is in force.

Azerbaijan experience in regulating migration processes, readmission and reintegration issues is highly appreciated at the meeting.