Albanians warned on visa-free travel

TIRANA, Oct. 29 – Albania was also warned from the European Union that its citizens should not apply for political asylum in the western European countries at a time when it is applying to get into this bloc.
Albanians are enjoying the free visa regime since December 2010.
Last week about 50 Albanians were turned back from Belgium where they had applied for asylum.
Albania has also signed a deal with the EU member countries for the return of the people in such terms.
True that Albanians were not the main focus of anger from some western developed European countries. It was Serbia and Macedonia. But there have also been some hundreds of such asylum requests from Albanians.
The government has tried to increase its public awareness telling everybody that the mistake of such a few people could damage the whole population.
Europe, or at least some of its western countries, is really thinking to re-install the visa regime for the western Balkan countries.
On France and Germany’s initiative, six member states of the EU want tighter controls on migrants arriving from Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania.
Serbia, Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina are candidates for accession to the EU.
That is a good moment for Europe to put some pressure on them.
Why should Albanians always try to damage themselves with such acts? They know very well no political asylum could be given to them at a time when the country is asking for the EU membership.
It would be better they are mentioned for other topics, like that mentioned by the Italian news agency Ansa that Albanian students are the biggest number in Italy, some 11,000.