Executive Director of FRONTEX Hans Leijtens met on Tuesday at the Kakavija border point with officers of the agency’s permanent forces stationed on the border with Greece and with the Albanian Border Police to strengthen their commitment to protecting the rights of irregular migrants.
The meeting followed the signing of an agreement between the Albanian Ministry of Interior and FRONTEX, where both parties agreed to enhance their cooperation in safeguarding fundamental rights.
Leijtens described the signing of the agreement with Albanian Minister of Interior Bledi Çuçi as a historic moment that confirms their joint commitment to protecting fundamental rights in all operational activities of FRONTEX in Albania.
According to Leijtens, the agreement “is a tangible expression of our collective commitment to support the dignity and security of all those who cross European borders.”
The agreement aims to ensure the exchange of information and cooperation between the European border guard agency and Albanian authorities regarding allegations of fundamental rights violations in FRONTEX’s operational activities in Albania.
Both FRONTEX and Albanian authorities have independent complaint mechanisms in place, and the agreement builds a bridge between them.
Frontex is responsible for handling all complaints of alleged violations of fundamental rights committed by members of the police teams during border operations, while Albanian authorities handle their own staff.
In February 2022, FRONTEX’s Fundamental Rights Officer Jonas Grimheden and the Albanian Ombudsman signed a separate agreement on cooperation and information exchange.
FRONTEX launched its joint operation in Albania, the agency’s first operation in the Western Balkans, in May 2019. Currently, 162 European border guards are working together with the Albanian Border Police.
The main objective of the joint operation is the effective management of migration, combating various forms of cross-border crime such as human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and terrorism, and strengthening cooperative efforts at the common land border between Albania and Greece.
