Albanian Ambassador questioned on rise in Channel crossings
The Home Affairs Committee examines the growth in channel crossings by Albanian nationals when they take evidence from witnesses including Albanian Ambassador to the UK, Qirjako Qirko; former Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Professor Dame Sara Thornton, and other leading academics and legal practitioners covering asylum and modern slavery.
Meeting details
According to Home Office figures, 35% of the 44,000 people who have crossed the Channel in small boats this year are Albanian nationals, with many submitting asylum claims once they are in the UK. There is not a clear single event that has led to the increase in arrivals from Albania, however comparative poverty due to the Covid pandemic and 2019 earthquake have been cited as potential causes. There is also concern that the growth is being driven by criminal gangs facilitating people smuggling and carrying out people trafficking.
Over three panels, the Committee will investigate different perspectives on the ongoing situation. This will include the views of the Albanian Ambassador on the root causes and how governments can work together to address them. It will also look at how Albanian asylum claimants are managed, including the treatment of children and claims that the National Referral Mechanism is being exploited by applicants ‘gaming the system’.