Last year, some 11,000 Albanians sought refuge in EU member states. The figure brings Albania to the top of the list when it comes to asylum requests. Of these, 8,700 were first-timers.
However, applications have dropped in recent years, partly due to continuous rejections, among other France and Germany.
The lowest figure was reported in 2020, which could be due to the pandemic and travel restrictions.
In Europe, Albanians rank first for asylum seekers, followed by Moldavians. Whereas in the region, North Macedonia has the highest application rate in the EU.
All in all, applications citing international protection rose by one-third, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels.
The general increase in asylum applications was boosted mainly due to Afghans and Syrians.
Asylum requests from Afghan citizens double in 2020, as they fled the Taliban regime that seized power in their country.
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