Mr. Boge Cadinovski was sorry that again representatives from the Ministries, Governmental Crisis Management Body, and International Organisations were not able to attend this meeting.

Mr. Cadinovski informed the meeting that tomorrow he will visit IDPs hosted in CCs in Dojran and Geveglija. He reminded present organisations that the heating issue is really important one and firewood and heating oil for IDPs hosted in families and in CCs should be obtained as soon as possible. UNHCR has promised to distribute stoves and fire woods for some of the CCs in Kumanovo.

Some of the villages in the conflict areas were taken out from the food distribution list, but there was no representative from ICRC/IFRC/MRC to explain why.

Ministry of Labour and Social Policy is paying to the management of the CCs 10DEM per IDP, per day for accommodation and food costs, but obviously this money can not cover all IDPs’ needs. In co-operation with the Ministry of Health it was decided that IDPs would receive health care without co-payment, yet some IDPs were asked to pay. There was no representative from the Ministry of Health to answer this question.

Abdurauf Prusi, El Hilal, NGO Humanitarian Co-ordination, this meeting was organized on joint initiative by President’s cabinet and Ministry of Labour, to serve as a forum where all local and international humanitarian organisations can share their problems and solve issues. Unfortunately only the most persistent ones are still attending this meetings and the absence of some relevant factors Governmental (representatives from different ministries) as well as International (UNHCR, ICRC, IFRC, ECHO) that can offer answers and solve dilemmas, is notable.

That is why he thinks that this meeting should be held every second week. If the attendance is still low, then a different form of gathering should be considered because co-ordination of the humanitarian activities is needed.

Zola Dowell, OCHA, emphasised that the heating issue is a problem that needs to be follow up, but no donors had expressed their interest in rather expensive repairs that need to be done in some of the CCs.

UNHCR will distribute stoves and firewood to some of the CCs in Kumanovo. Also UNHCR will start the firewood distribution. On the next meeting more detailed information regarding this will be presented.

Mercy Corps International is doing firewood distribution in Tetovo area within the USAID/OFDA emergency shelter assistance programme.

A subgroup for provision of the winter clothing had a meeting. UNICEF will distribute winter clothing for IDP and refugee children age 0-18 hosted in CCs and children in institutions. OXFAM will distribute winter clothing for 600 children in Lipkovo area. German Caritas will distribute winter clothing for IDPs hosted in CCs and host families in the southern part of the country, while DRC will distribute clothing for 1,174 children age 7-14 from Mala Recica, Tetovo. This list will be regularly updated and possible gaps will be followed up.

Beslimi Katip, MRC, Tetovo, said that so far he hadn’t been informed about this meeting, but he is glad that such meeting has been organised. He comes from the town that has the greatest number of IDPs and host families. Unfortunately it is a little too late to talk now about winter clothing when the winter is on the door. He also emphasised that so far only one distribution of hygiene parcels and baby parcels was done. With every new food distribution, distributed quantities are getting lower (e.g. only one member of the family receives 12kg. of flour and one family parcel).

It is not clear to him who composed the food distribution list and why some villages are not on the list (e.g. Rakovec, Novak and Popva Sapka are on the list, but there is not one single registered IDP from these villages, while Drenovec, Poroj, Dzepciste, Slatino. Neraste, Oraste, and Jazince, villages that are in the conflict affected areas, have been deleted from the list). There is a problem with the suggested four criteria for re-registration, especially with the first one. In order to be registered under this category persons should have proof (document signed from their municipality) that their house has been destroyed or burned out. Neither Ministry of Transport and Communication nor the municipalities know how to do that. These criteria are absolutely unclear. He believes that this meeting should continue to be held, but people that are working in the field in the conflict areas have also to be invited, not only people from Skopje.

Mr. Cadinovski emphasised that on the previous meetings ICRC’s representatives said that there are regular food and hygiene parcels distributions. He will ask for a meeting with Mr. Francois Stamm in order to clarify the issues raised by Mr. Beslimi Katip, MRC, Tetovo.

Flora Latifi, President’s Cabinet, said that looks to her like someone doesn’t want this humanitarian co-ordination to continue. This meeting is in IDPs’ and conflict-affected citizens’ best interest.

If it is necessary some changes will be done in the structure of the meeting just to make it more efficient, because the co-ordination is absolutely needed.

Mr. Cadinovski said that the next meeting would be in two weeks time.