| 27 May 2009 In April 2009, the Ministry of Justice and Law Enforcement of Hungary, one of the founding countries of the Söderköping Process, provided a voluntary financial contribution of EUR 10.000 towards the Process’ activities in 2009. This is the second direct financial contribution to the Process after a pledge by the Republic of Latvia in autumn 2008. From the founding of the Process in 2001, the Government of Hungary has actively supported the Process by sharing valuable experience of reforming migration and asylum systems with the Governments of Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine and providing expertise to the different events and workshops. A thematic workshop on Labour Migration, Remittances and Integration, hosted by the Government of Hungary in Budapest in summer of 2007, brought together government officials, independent experts as well as representatives from the private sector to discuss various aspects connected to labour mobility and remittances. The Ministry of Justice and Law Enforcement has a particular interest in the cooperation between EU Member States and its neighbors along the Eastern Border, across which migration has intensified since the EU enlargements in 2004 and 2007 posing new challenges to migration and border management as well as refugee protection. Mr. Imre Papp, State Secretary for Public Law, reiterated this continued interest and the Government’s commitment to the Söderköping Process repeatedly at the Process’ annual Senior Level Review Meetings. The Republic of Hungary’s financial contribution will help reinforce the dialogue which has been established in the framework of the Söderköping Process on strengthening systems of migration and border management as well as refugee protection between Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine and their neighbouring EU Member States.
| 
