Author: Dallandyshe Xhaferri
Albania, with its strategic position between Europe and Asia, has become a bridge for immigrants seeking to achieve a better life in the countries of the European Union. However, this reality has brought many challenges and tragedies, including fatal accidents and the increase in the number of illegal immigrants. In a recent report, the Albanian authorities reveal disturbing data about the growing number of these immigrants and the efforts to manage this complex crisis.
While seeking a better life in the member states of the European Union, seven illegal immigrants tragically lost their lives in Albania. The event happened in the early hours of the morning of April 2, when the vehicle transporting them, driven by an Albanian citizen, was involved in a fatal accident on the Këlcyre-Përmet road axis. As a result, all eight people in the vehicle lost their lives. This serious accident shows both the great dangers that immigrants face in their quest to achieve a better life and the many challenges that cross their precarious paths to Europe.
"The driver of the car, who was carrying seven illegal immigrants, lost control over the steering wheel and went off the road, falling by the river Vjosa", - the State Police reported months ago. However, they were not the only emigrants or illegal immigrants passing through the Albanian territory.
From the official data that the Ministry of the Interior has made available to "Sinjalizo", there are thousands of illegal immigrants identified by local authorities in recent years.
During the period January 2022-January 2024, local authorities have identified 14 illegal immigrants in the country. Only in 965, 2022 illegal immigrants were identified in the country and another 8 during the period January 335, 6- January 630, 1. They mainly come from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In 2022, the majority of illegal immigrants in Albania were Syrian. According to the Ministry of the Interior, 3030 illegal Syrian immigrants have been identified, in other words 36% of the total number of immigrants. Syrians are followed by Afghan immigrants, 1325, and those of Bangladeshi origin, of whom 1055 have been identified by the police.
Last year, 2023 illegal Afghan immigrants accounted for 24% of the total. Specifically, 1610 Afghan citizens passed through our country, followed by 1305 Syrian immigrants.
Despite the fact that the majority of immigrants identified as illegal in the country come from the East, during the last two years a small number of them have been granted residence permits.
Over the last four years, 15 immigrants have received residence permits, most of whom come from European countries or even the United States of America.
During 2022, 6 foreign citizens received residence permits to live, work or study, 939% of whom (74 people) have Italian, Kosovar, Turkish and German citizenships. Meanwhile, 5172 US and Russian citizens received residence permits in Albania. Specifically, 428 American citizens and 251 Russian citizens.
During 2022, only 1339 citizens from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines and Egypt received residence permits in Albania. In other words, 19% of the people who have applied for a residence permit in our country. Despite the fact that in the same year, 3030 Syrian citizens were identified as illegal immigrants, none of them received a residence permit in Albania.
In 2023, the number of foreign citizens who have received a residence permit in our country has increased to 8571 people, most of whom are Italian citizens, followed by Kosovar citizens, whose number reaches 1347 people.
As in 2022, also during the last year the majority of persons with residence permits are citizens of European countries, the USA or Russia. Specifically, 3728 foreign citizens with residence permits in Albania are from Italy, Kosovo and Germany. There are 511 Russian citizens, 299 American citizens and 1135 Turkish citizens who live and legally develop their activities in Albania, while 4721 citizens from India, Egypt, Nepal, the Philippines and Bangladesh have received residence permits in the country.
In an official response that the State Police has given to "Sinjalizo", it is specified that legal immigrants who do not seek asylum in Albania return to their country of origin voluntarily, while those who have been identified as such more than once return to the country of origin by means of an expulsion order from the Albanian authorities.
The number of asylum seekers in Albania has increased during the past year, compared to 2022, according to the data of the Border and Migration Department at the General Directorate of the State Police.
During 2022, 125 foreign nationals were registered as asylum seekers, while in 2023 their number increased to 261 people.
"Asylum seekers originating from Afghanistan account for 61,7% of the total number of asylum seekers and there are 161 people", - it is announced in a publication made by the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), while 14 positive decisions have been made to grant the status of supplementary protection to asylum seekers, of these cases 5 belong to citizens of Iraqi origin, 4 belong to citizens with origin from Afghanistan and the remainder belong to citizens from Syria and Palestine.
Albanians who leave, immigrants who come
According to official data from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) until the middle of 2020, 48,8 thousand international migrants lived in the country, representing 1,7% of the country's total population.
The number of foreign citizens who have been granted Albanian citizenship has increased over the years. Alongside the immigrants who see Albania as an opportunity to live or move to Europe, the locals are renouncing their Albanian citizenship.
During the 5-year period 2017-2021, it turns out that the number of Albanian citizens who have given up Albanian citizenship is higher than that of foreign citizens who have been provided with an Albanian passport.
During this period of time, 3269 Albanian citizens renounced their Albanian citizenship, while 2 foreign citizens obtained citizenship, according to INSTAT.
In 2023, 870 people renounced their Albanian citizenship, marking an increase of 20,7% compared to 2022. From these data, a dominance of women can be observed, who make up 53,2% of those who have renounced Albanian citizenship, compared to 46,8% of men.
According to the official data that the Presidency has made available to "Sinjalizo", it results that during the year 2022, 27 decrees were approved for the acquisition of citizenship, for 447 foreign citizens, and during the year 2023, 82 decrees were approved for the acquisition of citizenship, for 331 citizens. According to the country of origin of the persons who have acquired Albanian citizenship, it can be observed that 74,7% are those originating from Kosovo, 7,2% originating from Turkey and 4,1% originating from Syria.
According to the official data of INSTAT, mostly the age groups that make up the most important part of the "work force" have left Albania. 45.2% of people who renounced Albanian citizenship belong to the 30-39 age group, followed by the 20-29 and 40-49 age groups, respectively, with 20,7% and 19,5%.
"During 2023, 30,3% of people who have acquired Albanian citizenship belong to the age group of 30-39 years, followed by the age group of 40-49 years and 20-29 years, respectively with 24,0% and 16,2, XNUMX%", is revealed further in the INSTAT study.
The high number of Albanian citizens who renounce their citizenship is an indicator of the complex dynamics of emigration and immigration in the country. These developments require constant attention and coordinated actions for Albania to be a safe and welcoming country for all locals and immigrants.
This article was created based on input provided by individuals who have chosen to speak up. Share your story, empower others and be an agent for change. Visit the website: www.acqj.al/sinjalizo-dhe-ti/
