Albania's migrants accident sparks controversy over human trafficking

The government says this phenomenon is getting hit more and more and that figures show decline in cases. For the opposition, the event shows that state police do not control the country's territory.

Interior Minister Taulant Balla said during a debate at the Parliamentary Security Commission that Albania is part of the Balkan route that follows illegal immigrants to go to European Union countries.

But, he stressed, currently, this country has the lowest number of illegal immigrants crossing its territory and the highest numbers of human trafficking strikes.

However, it did not specify which countries it compares Albania.

“in the course of 2023, 177 cases of smuggling of immigrants have been filed. 9 of them for child trafficking. There were 330 persons involved, of whom 147 arrested”.

“I ask prosecutors and courts to express themselves with verdicts on all of these references made by state police”, Balla said.

He added that, for years, the border with Greece has been controlled and patrolled in co-operation with Greek police and with the effectiveness of the European police agency Frontex.

Balla called on the opposition not to politicise the issue.

Stopping at the accident that took place earlier this week, Balla said he wants opposition support for changes in the Road Code to improve road safety.

But, opposition Democratic Party MP Ervin Saliannji said the accident in Kelcrey showed police have no control over the country's territory.

The “needed a serious accident to understand that Albania has returned to theʹhan without the gate where illegal immigrants passing”, he said.

Concern about the event also expressed the ombudsman, who said it should serve as the burden for strengthening control of illegal migration and promoting legal and safe migration routes.

It is important that policies and laws protect immigrant rights and ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect. We have drafted several reports and made recommendations to address issues of importance on this topic”, the Ombudsman said in a statement to the media after the accident.

Public Lawyer Alice Demollari's spokeswoman tells Radio Free Europe that the influx of migrants is on the decline, but that some concerns remain, reports the report. Radio Free Europe.

“Albania is part of the Western Balkan route, where irregular foreign immigrants enter through the southern and southeastern border with Greece. Migrarian groups do not consider Albania a destination for permanent residence, so only a small part demands asylum, the rest go towards the border with Kosovo or Montenegro, with the aim of infiltrated EU countries”, Demolar explains.

The number of irregular immigrants mostly from Middle Eastern countries and North Africa fell in 2023 compared to other years.

According to Interior Ministry data, the number of irregular immigrants caught in Albania during the past year was 6,624, almost twice the number caught in 2022. At the same time, in 2021 the figure was 18 thousand.

Demolar says that from 2018 on an agreement with the United Nations Refugees Agency, U n NHCR ) at the border points in Gjirokastra and Korca, in southern Albania, foreign experts from this agency have been deployed, looking closely at the process of identifying unfair foreign immigrants, interviewing and reference of asylum seekers from border police.

Demollary says that of the some 4,500 irregular immigrants who entered the border points of these regions during 2023, about 300 were minors.

“The problems that are to be addressed as priority are: establishing the national reference mechanism for treatment of children divided or associated with irregular immigrants, creating a regulatory framework for their long-term accommodation, as well as supporting with psychologists of these <x1-> centers, Demolar says, also asking for a higher budget by the state for irregular immigration issues.

It says it has been recommended that institutions improve the conditions and capacities for monitoring border control, as well as legal and administrative measures in preventing human trafficking.

Security expert Fatjon Softa tells Radio Free Europe that, since 1997, people who enter Albania from countries in conflict or emigrate for economic reasons use this route to go to European Union countries.

According to him, they leave Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan or other countries and infiltrate Turkey, later in Greece, from there they cross Albania through Gjirokastra, Permet or Korca, travelling to Tirana and then to Shkodra.

Then, from there they come to border points with Kosovo or Montenegro, they cross into Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia to end up in Italy and other European Union countries.

Softa says their presence on Albanian territory carries some risks.

“... because there may be persons among them belonging to extremist groups. On the other hand, let us not forget that Russia is interested in, because of the situation with Ukraine, causing and transferring unrest to EU countries, or the Western Balkans. So border control should work better”, Softa says.

He adds that Albania should have better co-operation with Greece, as well as with Frontex in general. It also suggests seeing other potentials, such as fears checks, or the presence of the army at border points considered more problematic.

Stopping at the risk of this phenomenon, Softa recalls the May 24th event of 2023, when six Syrian and Algerian citizens were arrested at the Albanian-Kosovo border after gunning for police officials.

He says that in handcuffs, usually, the carriers of illegal immigrants end up, but not human trafficking organisers.

The “those waiting at the border points are simply employed, while those who run them manipulate them... they are people with certain weights and international connections that are rarely achieved. Transporters benefit up to 400 euros for every immigrant, while the final cost they pay from countries from their destination ranges between 7 and 8 thousand euros”, Softa says.

During the first three months of this year, 165 illegal immigrants have been detained on Albania's territory, coming mainly from Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries.

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