Asylum seeking is a cul-de-sac, an illicit path: PM Rama receives French Minister

Prime Minister Edi Rama received in a meeting French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, stating that this visit is a sign of the strengthening of relations between the two countries.

Further on, Rama added that the French Minister was informed on the recent operation named Force of Law as well as on the Vetting process.

“We have announced the ambition that by the end of this mandate, the State Police will be according to European standards and will be on the average of the police in the EU.”

Likewise, he also focused on illegal immigration and the issue of asylum seekers in France.

“The asylum seeking is in itself not just an illicit path but at the same time a cul-de-sac.”

However, Rama stressed that the measures to prevent the increasing number of asylum seekers will continue until they achieve success.

On the other hand, Minister Collomb said that 20 per cent of the total number of asylum seekers in France are Albanians. He also emphasized that they have been very cooperative and have responded positively when asked to return home.

Albanians increasingly see France as their preferred destination to seek asylum in a time where their first destination of choice, Germany seems determined to reject almost every request coming from Albanian citizens.

The latest Eurostat data show that during 2017, France had the highest asylum request rate of Albanians in Europe. In January alone, 1,030 Albanians sought asylum in France, while in February the number was 880, in March 1,200 and in April 1,170.

The numbers are almost twice as big as the number of requests by Albanians for asylum in Germany. From January to June 2017, around 500 Albanians requested asylum there per month – but most have been turned down.

During 2015 and 2016, German authorities faced an influx of asylum seekers coming from Albania. During 2016 alone, around 50,000 Albanians sought asylum in Germany, most fleeing povert and lack of work in their homeland.

SCAN

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