Funded by the UK government, center at Tirana airport will process visa overstayers and failed asylum seekers deported to Albania by EU governments.
TIRANA, July 26 – Albania’s Interior Ministry opened last week a center for the reception and interviewing people who have been deported from EU countries due to overstaying their visas or entering illegally and then failed asylum claims.
The UK provided the funding to build the center at the country’s main and only international airport near the village of Rinas.
The same day the center opened 44 Albanians were deported by plane from Britain and France.
EU member countries, usually its most developed ones in Western Europe, including Great Britain, have largely complained about the increase of the number of illegal immigrants from the western Balkan countries.
Western Balkans citizens, including Albania but excluding Kosovo, enjoy a visa-free regime since 2010. Based on it, Albanian citizens may stay up to 180 days per six months in the Schengen Area but cannot work. However, thousands of people from the Western Balkans have asked for asylum in EU Schengen countries, causing concern. In the case of Albania, most claim to be involved in blood feuds, one of the very few ways they could still get asylum.
The EU Parliament passed a law this year giving the free hand to separate countries of the bloc to reinstall the visa regime for individual countries if they think it a serious concern. Brussels continues to make serious call to Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia to stop their citizens from seeking asylum.
Deputy Interior Minister Elona Gjebrea called on the Albanian citizens “not to abuse with the stay at the Schengen countries, as every abuse staying there irregularly, breaking the rules, will be accompanied with the return to the homeland.”
After being deported, Albanian citizens automatically get a five-year travel to the Schengen area.
