German, Albanian officials focus efforts to stop flood of bogus asylum claims and other cooperation
TIRANA, May 25 – Germany’s top police official, Dieter Romann, has visited Albania as the two countries work to stem the wave of thousands of unfounded asylum claims from Albanian citizens in the northern European country.
Albania’s national police chief, Haki Cako, said he and his German counterpart had talked about how to further deal with the problem, though Cako added that the wave had been held back by direct action from Albanian authorities.
“Due to the commitment of the structures of the fight against illegal trafficking, we have managed to put under control some tourist travel agencies that organized trips toward Germany, the outflow has been prevented and is going toward normalcy,” Cako said, referring to the organizers of illegal human trafficking.
Authorities in Germany and Albania have made it clear all asylum requests will be denied and the would-be migrants would quickly be deported and handed travel bans.
Albanian authorities have acted primarily because they are also worried Germany will reinstall the travel visa regime, which was lifted from Albania in 2010, if the wave of asylum seekers continues.
Albania is currently focusing on fighting organized crime, illegal trafficking, corruption, cyber crime and terrorism – all areas in which Cako said the Germans could also help.
In a joint press conference with his visiting Albanian counterpart, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said last week that Berlin valued Albania’s efforts in stopping the asylum requests and encouraged further intensification of the cooperation between the two countries.
Poverty is the main reason Albanians try to migrate to Germany and other wealthy northern European countries, experts say.
