TIRANA, November 5 – The leader of the Freedom Party (FP), Ilir Meta has given an interview to the British radio LBC regarding the problem of Albanian immigrants in Britain. He said that unfortunately the mass exodus of Albanians is happening because of the lack of opportunities offered to them by the autocratic government of Prime Minister (Edi) Rama, who is in office for 10 years. “And also due to the lack of rule of law in the country, and these two main reasons have killed the hopes of young Albanians forcing them to flee the country.”
Asked why they need to claim asylum in the UK Meta said that happens because the standard of living in Albania is downgrading for most of them. When the journalist said Albania is not at war and Germany, for instance, declares that Albania is a safe country, the answer of Meta was as following: “Yes, you are right, but the economic situation, the social situation, the social exclusion, are at such a level that they are ready to take every risk, and to pass La Manche on rafts because the government is the main actor responsible for killing their hopes to build their future in the country.”
Further Meta, a former president, said that if the number of Albanians claiming asylum in UK is compared with the young people from Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Hercegovina there is not compare.
Answering a question if he thought that the British authorities should accept the claims by young Albanians, given the circumstances described Meta said: “I think that, first of all, it is very important for Prime Minister Rama to avoid these provocative tones towards UK authorities, because this situation is a result of his failed and corrupt government, and secondly, he has to work and to cooperate with UK government and authorities, but also with French authorities, and law enforcement agencies, because we are deeply concerned about the life of thousands of Albanians that are actually stuck in the forests of France, waiting to come to UK.”
According to Meta, UK authorities have to work with Albanian authorities in a constructive way to address this phenomena. In addition he said that, unfortunately, there are many asylum seekers feeling excluded and prosecuted for political reasons by the Albanian government.
“We don’t encourage them to leave the country. We encourage them to work here for their rights and to do everything to get rid of this irresponsible government in democratic ways,” said the FP leader.
Asked if German, French and Spanish governments are right to send back all those Albanians whose asylum claims have failed, Meta said, “We cannot condemn the foreign authorities for trying to implement their legislation, but we would like to see equal treatment and without discrimination against for all these hopeless Albanians that risk their life by taking rafts to pass La Manche.” Asked if he thought that Albanians are discriminated against by the British Government, the chairman of FP said he would like that British authorities do their best to show maturity, and not to mix these Albanians, who are few being interested in promoting these trafficking networks for their own criminal benefits, with most of those people who are honest and victims of the lack of hopes in their country, and try to find hopeful future by risking their life passing La Manche on rafts. /Argumentum.al
