Leskovac, July 6, 2011 - The Roundtable discussion “Migration: Development Opportunity or Asylum Challenge?” was organized within PBILD, the UN programme for South Serbia. In the introductory part of the discussion, H.E. Erwin Hofer, the Ambassador of Switzerland, H.E. Chrisper Asp, the Ambassador of Sweden, Mr. William Infante, the UN Resident Co-ordinator, Mr. Thomas Gnocchi, the Head of Political Section, Delegation of EU in the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Ivan Gerginov, the Assistant to the Commissioner for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Slobodan Kocić, the mayor of Leskovac and Mr. Nicholas Hercules, the PBILD Programme Manager addressed the participants. Mr. Gerginov spoke on the measures of the Republic of Serbia to reintegrate returnees in accordance to the  Readmission Agreement. He emphasized the role of the Commissariat in organization of primary admittance and cooperation with the local migration councils. He also mentioned that many actions for control of false asylum seekers within the EU visa-free regime for Serbia ere taken. Mr Gerginov stressed the importance of coordinated efforts of the institutions on local and central levels when it comes to  solving the issues of reintegration of the returnees, in order to enable their economic empowering and prevent secondary migrations.

After the introduction, the participants of the round table were divided into two working groups and discussed the issues of asylum and regional development. The delegation of the Commissariat for Refugees of the Republic of Serbia actively participated in the debate that followed.