Interior Minister Taulant Balla signed today the agreement between Albania and the European Union, for the operational activities of FRONTEX in Albania. Johannes Luchner, Deputy Director General for Internal Affairs at the European Commission and Álvaro Renedo Zalba, Ambassador of Spain in Tirana, whose country holds the Presidency of the EU Council, signed on behalf of the European Union.
Balla considered the signing of this agreement as improved and as the next proof of the indisputable will to contribute to the common security of the expanded European space.
“Our ambition is not simply to be a beneficiary of the community mechanisms for the protection of the EU’s external borders, but to take on the role of a contributing country for security in the region and beyond,” declared the Minister of the Interior.
Spanish ambassador said that the agreement will help strengthen cooperation with the entire Western Balkans region, which is a priority for the EU and, in particular, according to him for the Spanish Presidency of the EU.
“Common borders also mean common responsibilities. This is the core philosophy of EU integration. At the same time, shared boundaries and shared responsibilities also provide ample opportunities for constructive interaction, and if we have a coordinated and collaborative approach, and share best practices, we learn from each other. A particularly powerful tool in border management consists in joint and harmonized efforts by all actors, the EU, its agencies, member states, but also its privileged partners, such as Albania, a candidate country that in June 2014, the integration process of which has a strategic nature, not only for Albania and the Western Balkans, but also for Europe as a whole”, underlined the ambassador of Spain in Tirana.
Deputy Director of DG Home said that the joint operations that have been going on in Albania since 2019 have brought very positive results, in terms of reducing irregular migration and cross-border crime. The senior official of the European Commission stated that the signing of the agreement is another strong evidence of Albania’s ever closer alignment with the EU.
“Migration is indeed a challenge, but a challenge, which is dealt with in the most possible way by cooperating, working together, implementing a proper model of border management, which is based on security, dignity, to the fact that we all have to try to give the right protection to those who deserve it and who need it”, said Mr. Luchner.
Minister Balla said that for Albania there is no plan B, but only plan A, which is membership in the European Union. The cooperation with FRONTEX in these 4 years and the following has essentially the transformation of the Border Police into a worthy partner of the European partner Police.
“With the level of cooperation achieved with FRONTEX and EUROPOL, the State Police has really managed to prove that it can bear the burden of a high responsibility, worthy of a candidate country for the big European family. We are also convinced that through this agreement, we will qualitatively further develop the capacities of the State Police in the fight against cross-border crime, but above all, we will increase the level of mutual trust between the Albanian Police and the European equivalent structures”, stressed Balla.
“The expertise of FRONTEX officers takes on multiple value, as they possess both the experience and the tools to understand a forged document, or an attempt at human trafficking. Today’s improved agreement with FRONTEX lays the foundations for an even better and more complete cooperation with the police structures, and we believe that through this joint operation, we will be able to address the issues of irregular migration to Albania much better,” said the Albanian Minister of the Interior.
