Albanians Risk Schengen

Aida Haynaj, director of border points and immigration to the State Police, explains why Albania is hardening controls at the border. There is no official announcement that the Netherlands restores the visa regime for Albanians, she says.

DW: Hajanaj, this month new measures have been enacted to prevent and prevent Albania's citizens from seeking asylum in the Schengen area, profiting from the right of free movement in these countries. What are these measures to stop asylum research, which, even though it has been reduced to its peak in 2014 - 2016, continues to exist?

Aida Hyanaj: There are measures that increase elements of requirements for Albanian citizens going out of the country's territory, elements defined in the Schengen Code. The order of the State Police General Director to strengthen control over Albanian citizens at all border crossing points has been in force since a month. The order contains requirements and criteria that must be met by anyone leaving Albania's territory towards the Schengen area countries. The requirements on this order are in line with the Schengen Code, which entered into force along with the adoption of visa removal and free movement.

The order includes requests such as presenting the round-trip ticket, the host's guarantee, business invitations, the various institutions of the Schengen area countries, the relevant financial sums already set for each of the Schengen area to meet food and accommodation expenses. There is another category of Albanian citizens who are returnees from the Schengen area because of violating the deadlines in these countries -- the 90 days within 180 days -- for whom we have asked to appear near the Schengen area consulates in Albania and to receive confirmations that they have no problem with the law in countries from which they are deported. After that procedure they are allowed to travel.

What about those traveling for tourist reasons?

When it comes to tourists, the tourist agency is responsible. We have communicated with the Association of Transport Agencies from Albania to EU countries and have requested that all citizens travel through agencies meet the criteria and regulations mentioned earlier. The measures are not just for the tourist season, but will follow. In addition to the Order of the Police Director, there is also a letter of mail regarding strengthening control for minor children, which unfortunately are abandoned by Albanian citizens when they arrive in the Schengen area countries and children themselves head to the respective institutions and seek asylum.

What do new measures for minor children foresee?

In co-operation with the National Chamber of Notters, there are new criteria in the notary declaration that allows minor children to cross the border from Albania to the Schengen area countries. To illustrate, the statement that the infant is allowed to pass to the border points of the Schengen area should be signed by two parents, the child should be accompanied by a parent or a family member. We are doing well in preventing asylum demands and abandoning minor children. The new measures envision parental prosecution when they abandon minor children in the Schengen area where they entered thanks to visa liberalisation. Since new measures have entered into force, early August, asylum demands by Albanian citizens who have entered the Schengen area are almost zero.

How have you avoided cases when a citizen who has no intention of seeking asylum in the country to which he travels is not allowed to travel by border police, to be tried and affected by the right of free movement?

Aida Hyanaj: We've taken every step to make sure this doesn't happen. Our police officers request rigorously all the documentation clearly defined in the order of the Director of the Interior and interview Albanian citizens at border crossing points, especially those who suspect they can travel to the Schengen area countries to seek asylum for economic motives. By the analysis of the risks police pose at border points, misunderstandings, prejudices and the failure of the citizens' travel to meet the demands of the Schengen Code have been completely avoided.

We have no contest from citizens on the implementation of the State Police Director General's order, nor on paper-porocy concerning the travel of minor children. Citizens have been clarified by border police at border crossings for any uncertainty. Citizens are getting more aware that they should respect the rules of free movement, that they should not violate the term of residence, that is, 90 days within 180 days, they should respect the rules and not seek to hire themselves illegally.

Among the EU countries in the Schengen area, France has this year become the preferred destination of asylum seekers from Albania, as was Germany since 2014-2016. To prevent the rise in flow to France, the two countries' top authorities have also reached an agreement on the French police engagement at border crossings in Albania. How's this cooperation going? Do you have official figures of how many Albanians have so far sought asylum in France?

Aida Hyanaj: We expect French authorities to make available up-to-date rates of asylum demands by the citizens of Albania. Meanwhile, very good co-operation has been established with the French police to prevent Albanian citizens from seeking economic asylum in France. Co-operation aims at the prevention and awareness of Albanian citizens, whether in Albania or France, that their demands for asylum with economic motives but also political motives are not legitimate since Albania is classified by the EU as a safe country.

Special attention in our co-operation with the French police has been devoted to the crackdown on criminal groups preparing forged documents and selling them to Albanian citizens to seek asylum in France or other EU countries. Meanwhile, we have officially asked French authorities to cut as much of the time as possible for considering asylum requirements as well as procedures: from taking the lawyer to complaining to respective French denial courts.

News has been published in Tirana media that the Netherlands has called for the return of the visa regime for Albania's citizens. Do you have official notice of this?

Aida Hyanaj: We have no official contest from Dutch authorities for Albanian citizens seeking economically motivated asylum in the Netherlands. Likewise, no official announcement of the return of the visa regime.