According to new data published by Eurostat, 5,900 Albanians were first-time asylum applications in the EU during July–September 2017.
With these numbers Albanians are again high up the list, ranking sixth after Syrians, Iraqis, Afghanis, Nigerians, and Eritreans
The majority of asylum applicants apply in Germany, Italy, and France, while large increases have been measured in Sweden, Greece, Spain, and the Netherlands.
All EU countries have declared Albania a safe country of origin, leading to an almost automatic rejection of applicants. Nevertheless, driven away by the corruption and poverty, Albanians continue to try their luck elsewhere.
The high number of Albanian asylum applicants has turned into a problem for several Western European countries, who have threatened to reinstate the visa regime, should the flow of emigrants continue.
