World Refugee Day: Montenegro has shown itself to be a haven for all forcibly displaced people

In 2023, armed conflicts, violence, human rights violations, and climate changes have caused the forced displacement of over 110 million people. This translates to over 1% of the global population being displaced today, with one out of every 78 individuals on Earth forced to abandon their homes. If all individuals who are forcibly displaced lived in a single country, that country would rank as the 14th most populous in the world—a significant milestone that few would have anticipated a decade ago.

"I welcome Montenegro's commitment to stand with the European Union in the reception and protection of Ukrainian refugees. It is the same spirit of solidarity that we have seen within the European Union. Now more than ever, the EU remains committed to providing support to those forced to leave their homes worldwide. We will continue working on political solutions to address the root causes that compel people to flee. In this endeavor, we work hand in hand with our partners around the world. In Montenegro, we are particularly proud of our partnership with the UNHCR and national authorities. Our partnership and cooperation with national authorities are crucial for the most important task ahead," said Oana Cristina Popa, Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro.

She emphasised that Montenegro has continuously provided assistance and support to Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the armed conflict in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian refugees have found sanctuary in Montenegro.

"The support and solidarity shown by the government and people of Montenegro towards those forced to flee have been incredibly encouraging. Montenegro has demonstrated itself to be a place of refuge for all forcibly displaced people, ensuring unrestricted access to its territory and asylum procedures, treating all people forced to flee with respect and dignity. On World Refugee Day, we at the UNHCR renew our commitment to ensuring the safety of all those in need of international protection, regardless of their country of origin," said Jean-Yves Bouchardy, Representative of the UNHCR to Montenegro.

Acting Prime Minister, Dritan Abazović stated that it is not necessary to be a large and wealthy country to help people from war-affected areas, instead, it takes a country with a big heart, and Montenegro is exactly that.

"Montenegro has been a country that has embraced a policy of open doors towards displaced individuals for the past 30 years. History has taught us to have a unique relationship with refugees. In challenging times, we have shown remarkable solidarity. We have committed ourselves to nurturing European values and working in accordance with the UN agenda, but more importantly, to be compassionate and humane. This is the message we need to remember on World Refugee Day," said Abazović.

It was highlighted by the UNHCR that, this year alone, the war in Ukraine has displaced over eight million people. In Montenegro, we are once again witnessing extraordinary solidarity from the people and the Government of Montenegro, which has kept its borders open to over 30,000 Ukrainians who are staying in the country under some form of legal status, with over 5,200 people having temporary protection. The UNHCR is grateful to the Government of Montenegro for activating the temporary protection regime for these individuals, which has been in force since 14 March 2022.

"Ukraine is immeasurably grateful to Montenegro, which, despite being a territorially small country, leads in solidarity with refugees from Ukraine compared to other countries in the region and Europe," said Oleh Herasimenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to Montenegro.

Since the establishment of the asylum system in Montenegro in 2007, the country has granted access to its territory, security, and asylum procedures to over 17,000 people. Although the vast majority of them continued their journey to other countries, 117 individuals have received international protection. On World Refugee Day, we commend Montenegro for its achievements and affirm our support to the country in further strengthening its asylum system.

Montenegro has also shown unwavering commitment to the people who were forced to flee due to the tragic conflicts in the region during the 1990s. To date, over 12,000 refugees from the territory of former Yugoslavia have been granted the status of foreigners with permanent residence, by which these persons have been successfully and comprehensively integrated into the Montenegrin society.  While we commend Montenegro and its people for their incredible hospitality, we note that we need to double our efforts to achieve an important goal—to resolve the legal status of the remaining 60 refugees from former Yugoslavia in the country by the end of this year.

Montenegro is also on the verge of achieving the global goal of eradicating statelessness—a global campaign established by the UNHCR in 2014. The joint efforts of the government and UNHCR have yielded impressive results over the years, significantly reducing the number of people at risk of statelessness to just a few hundred.

On World Refugee Day, we pay tribute to the courage and resilience of refugees worldwide. And on this day, which holds symbolic importance for us at the UNHCR, we want to remind everyone that refugees deserve to be protected, supported, and included—regardless of who they are, where they come from, and when they are forced to flee.