TIRANA, July 16 – Albanian police continues to stop third-country refugees who, supported by local traffickers, try to use Albania as a transition country that will lead them to EU member states.
On Saturday morning, Shkodra police stopped 15 refugees, mainly from Syria, who were trying to illegally cross the border with Montenegro to reach Croatia, and other EU countries.
Refugees had illegally entered Albania’s territory through its shared border with Greece, and were being transported toward Montenegro in the cars of local traffickers residing in Tirana’s Shkozet and Bathore neighborhoods.
Police said it arrested the traffickers and seized the transportation vehicles.
This year has marked an increase in the cases of banned refugees, who enter Albania with the aim to move to European countries, although both Albanian and Montenegrin police have said the situation is under control.
Earlier this month, during a joint press conference for the media, the prime ministers of both countries admitted the existence of sporadic illegal border crossings, but denied the possibility of building border fences, like it was earlier suggested by Montenegro state representatives.
