Visa Restitution, Albanian Ambassador to Netherlands Speaks

In an interview for the newspaper “Panorama”, Mrs. Sakiqi sees normal and part of parliamentary activity the Dutch deputies' interest in writing the newspaper “De Telegrain” and the noise made in Albanian media.

The ambassador's lady, Dutch newspaper “De Telegraaf” a few days ago, launched by a Amsterdam Police report, suggests a possible political decision to restore the visa regime for Albanians. Have you had concerns from the Dutch authorities on the matter?

Fortunately, we have had no concern with the Dutch authorities. Our embassy contacted the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice after reading the article, not in the newspaper “De Telegrain”, in the Netherlands, but the distorted translation that was done in Albania, as the paper clearly stated that this police document had not been handed over to the Ministry of Justice and Security. We requested the official version from the Dutch Ministry and they assured us that they did not receive any reports from the police concerning the activities of criminals or perpetrators from Albanian-speaking people.

I contacted and with the Dutch Foreign Ministry, where I spoke to the EU enlargement co-ordinator, who assured me that such reports do not exist, because if he had to come on the official line, as are channeled all communications in democratic states. If a newspaper writes about the activity of Albanian perpetrators in Amsterdam, it is something else. Out of all this noise for nothing, I have learned a silent lesson and I want to appeal to Albanian citizens for free movement without visas to preserve and use with dignity. Because any minor abuse can cost us. Because Europe is facing a populism, with an unwillingness to foreigners by doing it as a trend.

The Netherlands has populist parties, calling every day for Europe to be dissolved, to stop the EU, no longer be talking about expanding countries like the Western Balkans, while we see it. EU as oxygen. But even politics will be more careful and not speculate about these rights acquired in 2010 that the government and law enforcement authorities worked hard because in the end those who lose are Albanians.

What did this newspaper say about Albania?

It pointed to an Albanian wrongdoer who has been detained in Rotterdam or Amsterdam. In this case, the paper generalised this case with a potential Albanian risk in the Netherlands. But it was no more the fault of “De Telegrah” than the bad translation of Albanian newspapers that the word “thought “of a policeman translated into the Netherlands “decision” for the visa deployment.

In Amsterdam, where the most crime takes place, there are about 180 nationalities living there, with their problems reported by the “De Telegraaf” for crimes of Bosniaks, Ukrainians, Russians, but also Dutch. Albanian stories take very little place in the Dutch black chronicle. The reason for this scripture became the arrest of an Albanian wrongdoer, who apparently discovered several possible plans that could be carried out in the Netherlands. Police have done an internal memo of daily police work.

Dutch police are very strict, professional and work with preventive strategies. When I spoke to the High Council for Security Policy, the Ministry of Justice and Security about the article in “De Telegrain”, he told me why you're bothering me! Everything's fine, no worries! What happened to you calling me? I told him about the script of “De Telegraaf” for Albania. He told me that he had not read it, however, I would be interested, and after he asked me that there is no such report reassuring me that it is an internal police report.

What concerns with Albanians come from the Netherlands's Interior or Foreign Ministry?

Concerns date back years because of asylum seekers who have come from Albania at the time of the refugee crisis in Europe. The figures were alarming for a small country like the Netherlands, because it is not like Germany or France. We had intensive co-operation with the Netherlands Ministry of Justice and Security, they have often come to Tirana.

Mr. Hakki Chaco was in Holland with senior Border Police officials. In fact, we have frequent visits from top officials to the Netherlands not only because of good co-operation but also that Europol has headquarters in The Hague. Very soon we expect more senior state police delegations to The Hague.

Even yesterday, Albanian media have been faxising this report to show that there is such a report. What is truth?

Not everyone understands Dutch, but at least we can read the dates. What I saw is a document of August 22nd. When we first discussed a police report, he was on August 19. On August 22nd, a document has been made by three parliamentarians asking questions about the authenticity of the information of “De Telegrain” and says: Is the information from the paper “De Telegrain” true that there are 36 investigative cases of Albanian speakers?

These are questions parliament questions to various ministries on various issues. The Dutch Parliament is very active and constantly seeks information from institutions on every issue. This should not bother us that parliament is taking action against Albania. But I am convinced that inciting Dutch parliamentarians to the case, they have given more to the Albanian media than to the Dutch newspaper.

Because in Albania the writing of “De Telegrain” became the subject of the day. Parliament is accountable for whether or not the word has come out here. Even the fact that the writing of “de Telegaaf” in Albania became the subject of day has intrigued parliamentarians. There is no report, MP Omzigt, a very active and committed MP who writes 4-5 letters a day for topics covering parliament asking for accounts to Dutch institutions.

What is the situation with Albanians about asylum demands?

The situation is in its opinion, in May of this year there were only 28 asylum demands from many demands that there were a year ago. We're not in the first asylum seekers anymore. However, 28 requirements should not be, but today there is very good co-operation between the security and police institutions between Albania and the Netherlands.

As the debate takes place, a Dutch airline has been deployed, Transavia, between Tirana and Amsterdam. How is this airline going, is there demand to travel to Albania?

This summer the Netherlands- Albania is reaching a peak because it has a growing interest in economic co-operation between the two countries. On May 10, 2017, Transavia began her first flight. We came with Dutch tour operators in Tirana, opening up this line, they didn't even know Albania, we had journalists as well. We had very good co-operation and the Dutch Embassy in Tirana. Tirana for this group was a new discovery.

No scriptures were missing to discover Albania. Each month, 4320 passengers are introduced and released with this Tirana-Amsterdam airline, with three flights a week, there are approximately 17 thousand passengers who have travelled in these months. The lines are always full and the company is thinking of extending this line through winter. The Dutch are also seeing Albania as a weekend destination, because flights are Friday and Monday morning they may be in their jobs in Amsterdam. Along with the municipality of Tirana, we talked about a “Tirana City Trip”. This will be the future of September-October months that are not months of beach, but for a Dutch our temperatures are considered summer.

How do the Dutch view Albania?

They've already discovered us and they know us. There's an expression in Dutch that says: “When I don't know you, I don't want you” I can't wait to hear the Fedback from the Dutch visiting Albania. I have received many emails from the Dutch who have participated in embassy activities and have started photographs of them visiting Albania writing to me: We love Albania!