On 19 November 2021, the Special Representative on Migration and Refugees, Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek, welcomed the opening of new Temporary Reception Centre LIPA in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The centre can host up to 1,500 migrants, including families with children as well as unaccompanied children. It will significantly improve their living conditions in the upcoming winter period. The need to improve reception conditions and encourage cooperation among different levels of government was highlighted in the report on the fact-finding mission carried out in January 2021 by the Special Representative. “The opening of the reception centre in Una-Sana Canton today shows the commitment of the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to improve the reception conditions and treatment of vulnerable migrant groups. Adequate reception facilities are one of the key aspects of human rights-based migration management” he said.

On 18 November 2021, in Sarajevo, upon the invitation of the Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Selmo Cikotić, the Special Representative participated in the Ministerial Conference ‘Sarajevo Migration Dialogue’, and had several bilateral meetings with relevant international stakeholders on the state of play regarding migration and asylum. He participated in the panel discussion, at the Ministerial Conference, related to trends and challenges in migration with the aim of having a constructive exchange on strengthening co-operation to uphold the human rights of migrants and refugees in the Western Balkans region.

From 8-10 November 2021, the Special Representative on Migration and Refugees, Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek, hosted the first visit of Frontex Fundamental Rights Officer (FRO), Jonas Grimheden, to the Council of Europe. Mr Grimheden was accompanied by a team of Fundamental Rights Monitors. The visit focused on the migration-related standards of the Council of Europe and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. The Special Representative welcomed the team to the Council of Europe and gave an overview of his activities. He presented the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025), whose implementation he is currently coordinating. The FRONTEX team met also with representatives of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), the Division of Human Rights Training for Legal Professionals (HELP), and the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights. In addition, the Frontex team got updates on the latest relevant cases at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), and the Department for the Execution of Judgments of the ECtHR.

On 5 November 2021, in Strasbourg, the Government of the Czech Republic made a voluntary contribution of CZK 400,000 (approximately €16,336) to support the implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025). The agreement was signed by Ambassador Petr Válek, Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the Council of Europe and Mr Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General, in the presence of Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek.