EU helps Albania in border management

TIRANA, Jan. 24 – Since mid-December Albania enjoys the visa liberalization with the European Union member countries. That decision was taken after the EU checked and confirmed a series of technical steps and measures the country had to take.
Nevertheless the EU is continuing its assistance to training Albanian police and other authorities on how to manage the border services.
The “EU Training package” for border services was handed over to the Albanian State Police and Custom services. This package was prepared in the framework of the EU-funded project of assistance to the Albanian Police “PAMECA” and has been rolled out by the project to all border control services, in the form of a “train the trainers” programme now part of the training curricula of the border services. It improves the services delivered at the borders, and also supports the fight against organized crime, corruption and illegal migration.
Strengthening border controls is an essential tool in the fight against organized crime, corruption and illegal migration.
First Secretary of the EU Delegation to Albania, Aneil Singh emphasized that “the fight against organized crime and corruption, and sound border management remain key issues for the Enlargement agenda, and for the establishment of an area of justice, freedom and liberty. Sound management of borders will also improve the protection of fundamental freedoms”.
The total cost of the PAMECA project is over 6 million euro. Its implementation has begun in mid-2008. The project was implemented by the United Kingdom in partnership with Austria. The EU is also funding the construction 12 border crossings between Albania and its neighbors with a support totaling 5.4 million euro. During 2010 alone the EU provided 93 million euro of assistance to Albania.