The first necessary thing to be done is the implementation of the Macedonian National Strategy and Action Plan to combat trafficking at the local level. This is determined on a roundtable in Debar, which was organized by the Macedonian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Macedonia.
Ismail Mersomovski, the Center for Social Affairs, and Ilmi Kurtishi, NGO Moonlight, have said that there are of course successful projects in Debar, but the greater activity by the local government is still necessary for these projects and their aims to be more successful and effective in Debar.
Mersimovski said that Women’s Center has so far developed a good cooperation with local government, especially the Center for Social Affairs. The Center has an office for the treatment of persons who are victims of trafficking, but he also added that they should have more activities that engage local government in this matter.
Representative of NGO Moonlight, Mr. Kurtishi said that through various brochures they have informed public and government about preventive actions that needs to be taken, but local governments however, still does not conduct those. Straso Angelovski from the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, concluded that is it necessary to strengthen the awareness among all relevant factors of trafficking.
The reason of round table is a new project implemented in Debar, titled "Establishment of civil control in the fight against trafficking”, financed by the U.S. Embassy in Skopje. The project has the aim to boost awareness among all relevant factors devoted to fight against this issue, to enhance access to human rights by all actors and at all stages of this struggle .
“We will now be targeting not only the National Commission, as the central authority in the state that has primary responsibility, but the idea is to strengthen the civilian component. It of course exists already, but its role is estimated to be insufficient. ", said Mr. Angelovski.
Expert in this matter, Mr. Angelovski estimated that the country needs to conduct a research and set of activities regarding prevention of the occurrence of trafficking cases in Macedonia. According to him, with the liberalization of visa regime for Macedonian citizens of Europe, human and every other trafficking could become even a bigger problem.
“Combating trafficking is nothing but a struggle for human rights. It is a fight against organized crime and organized criminals, and organized criminals will (ab)use the new situation, where Macedonia is entering the EU. Exactly because of that, Macedonia will be additionally vulnerable and will have two new potential fronts. One is connected to the organization of our parties and other criminals, and other is that potential victims of trafficking would be from Macedonia who would now end up as victims of trafficking in Western Europe", said Angelovski.
Debar is small city in the western part of the Republic of Macedonia, close to the border with Albania.
