The UK and Albania have struck a deal to speed up the return of Albanian citizens to the country, following a significant uptick in the number of those trying to reach British shores over the summer.
Albania is considered a safe country of origin, meaning returning them is acceptable under international law. But for many years, there have been thousands of asylum applications from Albanian citizens in the UK and EU every month. Of these, hundreds are approved, while others are returned home.
But the latest wave is bigger than anything seen previously. UK media has reported that 40% of those making perilous Channel crossings this summer are Albanians.
The UK’s Home Secretary Priti Patel said the repatriation of Albanians “with no right to be in the UK” would be sped up from next week.
“Thanks to our excellent levels of co-operation with Albania, we will take every opportunity to speed up removals of Albanians with no right to be in the UK.”
She added that “Large numbers of Albanians are being sold lies by ruthless people smugglers and vicious organised crime gangs, leading them to take treacherous journeys in flimsy boats to the UK.”
The rate of illegal boat crossings soared in the first eight months of 2022 to almost double of the year before. With no end in sight, the UK wants to streamline its deportation process to reduce the strain on services and the public purse.
The ongoing situation has stirred up a storm of racism and xenophobia, right-wing rhetoric, and hate speech against Albanian and other migrants, fuelled by tabloids and figures such as Nigel Farrage.
Many media have failed to adequately address the reasons why Albanians are fleeing and have dubbed them all “economic migrants”, which carries undertones of them having no right to be in the UK.
As mentioned, hundreds of Albanians are granted asylum and protection yearly in Western Countries. Reasons include threats from organised crime, domestic violence, escaping from sex and labour trafficking, and in some cases, political persecution.
Exit spoke to an expert country witness who provided information on Albania to the UK Home Office and in court cases for more than 20 years. They described the numbers and reasons why Albanians are applying for asylum abroad.
“I see shifts in numbers and reasons for asylum claims. In the 90s, it was those fleeing blood feuds. They have decreased gradually over the years, but I still saw ten such cases in 2020. Trafficking of women, those fleeing planned marriages, and being trafficked into prostitution is the category with the most cases. About one-third were successful in claiming asylum.”
They continued, “There are many other reasons I have seen for seeking asylum; severe domestic violence, specialist health issues, fleeing loan sharks, police mistreatment, and attacks due to political affiliation,” they added.
When asked if they felt these claims were founded or unfounded, they explained that by the time cases reached them, they had been intensively questioned, and more dubious circumstances had been weeded out.
“I just supply the missing link due to cultural misunderstanding, for example, why didn’t a woman, forced to marry someone against her will, report to the police? It has to be spelt out in court that such a woman has usually had minimal education, has NO idea of her rights, in any case, her family would prevent her, and that anyway the police would not take her seriously, and return her to her family,” they said, adding this had happened in several cases.
In terms of economic migration, while Albania is considered safe, it remains one of Europe’s poorest countries. Eurostat recently ranked Albania as having the highest rate of poverty in Europe, with 46% of the country at risk of poverty and social exclusion.
The World Bank also recently found that the country has the highest poverty rate in the country, impacting 20% of the population. This means that some 540,000 people are living on less than $5.50 a day.
In rural areas, jobs are hard to come by, meaning those that work often end up supporting the extended family, which often live together. This puts enormous strain on workers who struggle to make ends meet with salaries starting at EUR 240 a month.
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Other issues include a lack of access to healthcare in rural areas, with many centres missing vital equipment, medicines and staff. Furthermore, education is underfunded, and many schools outside the capital are not appropriately equipped, some even lacking proper toilets.
Many youths feel there is no future or opportunities for them in the country, and under the obligation to provide for their families, they seek opportunities abroad out of desperation.
The Albanian mass-migration issue is complicated and multi-layered. It is also influenced by the country’s turbulent history, including the 50 years of communist rule and isolation, liberation in the early 90s, a decade of turbulence, and almost civil war in 1997.
While most Albanians would prefer to stay in the country if they had the right opportunities and could sustain their families, many find themselves with no choice.
The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has made the situation even worse, with food prices increasing up to 70%. The cost of fuel and future energy price increases are driving more Albanians to question their future in the country.
Exit spoke to one young man who left his wife and two children and paid EUR 2000 to get into the UK in a lorry before being caught and sent home.
“Of course I don’t want to leave my family, but what can I do? I cannot survive on EUR 300 a month with two children.”
