TIRANA, March 17, 2022 – More than 350 Ukrainians escaping war are currently staying in various cities in Albania, according to Albania’s Ministry of Interior.
While the bulk of the Ukrainian refugees remain in neighboring countries such as Poland and Romania, the Albanian government and common citizens are eager to help, making it easier for those fleeing the Russian invasion to find shelter further afield, where the weather is warmer.
Interior Minister Bledi Çuçi told Ukrainian Ambassador Volodymyr Shkurov in a meeting on Wednesday that Ukrainians refugees be offered temporary protection based on Albania’s regulations on the matter.
Ukrainians can enter Albania visa-free and can stay for a year without having to apply for any special permits, authorities say. These rules are similar to those set up by EU member states.
“We will look at approving more ways to make their entry and stay easier if it becomes necessary,” Çuçi said.
Based on local media coverage, some Ukrainians are going to homes of Albanian hosts or second homes either themselves or friends have in Albania for vacations, as Ukrainians have increased their tourists visits to Albania in recent years and are familiar with the country that way.
Albanian families have also volunteered to take in those who need accommodations.
“We are a family of four, my husband and two daughters. We can host a family with children.We will give all the support with all our hearts,” wrote one Tirana woman on ukrainetakeshelter.com, an American website set up to help Ukrainians find temporary shelter.
In just three weeks, three million Ukrainian refugees who have managed to escape the war and are now moving throughout the continent, the largest wave of refugees since WWII in Europe. Ukraine had more than 44 million residents before the war.
