Bill Frelick, director of Human Rights Watch´s refugee program, and Simone Troller, senior researcher with Human Rights Watch´s children´s rights division, took part in the meeting.
The visitors reported on the investigation conducted by the organization in Ukraine in the first half of 2010. The results of this investigation formed the basis of the report "Border Trap. (Treatment of Migrants and Refugees in Ukraine)."
Oleh Zarubinskyi expressed his gratitude to the "Human Rights Watch" organization for the analysis of the situation concerning the refugees in Ukraine. Upon enactment of the Agreement on Readmission between the European Union and Ukraine (since 1 January 2010), the illegal migrants who got to the territory of EU member states through the territory of Ukraine shall be returned to Ukraine.
The Committee Chairman reported on the law-making work of the Committee to enhance the laws on the protection of rights of the migrants and refugees, and defence of the national interests of Ukraine in the illegal migration counteraction. "It is the Committee members that lobbied establishment of the subject executive authority body to deal with migrants and refugees. Thus, foundation of the State Migration Service of Ukraine on the President´s order No 1085\2010 is welcome," O. Zarubinskyi stressed.
He deems necessary to adopt the bill on refugees and persons in need of extra or temporary protection (Reg. No. 7252) submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.