Albanian Interior Minister Bledi Cuci said that Albania is considered a model in preventing radicalism and opposing violent extremism, at a conference held in Tirana on Tuesday.
The high-level conference was co-organised by the government, EU, and the Global Community Engagement and Resilience fund and focussed on combatting the phenomenon and the need to rehabilitate and reintegrate those returning from abroad, including their families.
“Albania adopted a comprehensive government approach. Law enforcement, education, health and social services agencies need to work side by side to ensure sound rehabilitation and reintegration processes in the community under the coordination of the Center for Violent Extremism (CVE),” said Cuci in his opening speech.
He added that Albania and the CVE is a “model” in preventing radicalism and extremism.
The minister also noted the recent repatriation of Albanians from camps in Syria.
At the end of May, Albania repatriated 13 people, four women and nine children, from Syria’s Al-Hawl and Roj camps.
his is the second largest number of repatriates since the Syrian Civil War broke out in 2011, driving an uncertain number of Albanians to join different groups fighting against the government troops of Bashar al-Assad, including the Islamic State (ISIS).
While there is no official data on the dozens Albanian men killed, still fighting or living in the region, the wives and children of many of them have been living for years at the two camps.
In 2021, the Albanian government repatriated 19 children and women, and did the same for five more children and a woman in two previous operations in 2020.
Last year, Gledis Nano, the head of the operation, said there are dozens more Albanians at the camps but not all agree to return home.
Risk of violent extremism
Meanwhile, a 2021 repot from the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) found that the lack of socio-economic opportunities, the state of democracy, the functioning of the rule of law, and perceived marginalization are leaving some Albanians vulnerable to violent extremism.
The report notes that more than six years have passed since 144 Albanians departed for Syria and Iraq. While the acute threat has been averted via the strengthening of legal frameworks, violent extremism still remains present in the country.
Despite these improvements, some are still vulnerable to violent extremism.
The report notes: “Young, unemployed, or isolated individuals might be particularly susceptible to violent extremist groups. Albanians with low levels of education are more likely to accept illegal economic activity to make ends meet or to support violent means to achieve political change and protect their values, rights, or freedoms.”
Almost half of Albanians believe that religion could be a solution or at least address corruption and impunity. They believe that religious countries have less corrupt governments and that Albania would be less corrupt if more joined their religion.
