Equipment worth 2.4 million euros was handed over to the Border and Migration Police by the European Union.
During the ceremony organized for this occasion in Dhërmi, Minister of Interior Bledi Çuçi stated that the common challenge is the opening of borders, as Albania has done, and their secure management.
“I believe that we are all witnesses to a completely different reality of Albania, a completely open Albania for the free movement of goods, people, and especially during the tourism period to welcome anyone who wants to spend their vacation in Albania,” said Minister Çuçi.
He highlighted the cooperation with FRONTEX as a success story in managing and controlling Albania’s borders securely.
“When it comes to modern and secure border management, technology is undoubtedly an answer that, I believe, provides us with more security and guarantees. Therefore, this project has extraordinary importance for the current situation of Albania. I believe that Albania is in a very good moment, where the police are undergoing restructuring and reform, both structurally and in terms of technology investments,” declared the Minister of Interior, emphasizing a 7.6-fold increase in technology investments for the State Police compared to last year.
According to Çuçi, this is not just a response to cyberattacks but a strong belief that small and developing countries like Albania can make epochal advancements in the field of law and order and enhance the qualitative work of the State Police, if they exploit the advantages provided by technology.
Furthermore, he added that Albania is now a worthy partner of the EU in preserving and managing Europe’s geographical borders, as well as in cooperation among European police forces in the fight against organized crime.
Chief of the State Police Muhamet Rrumbullaku expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by partners in the State Police.
“We are confident that the assistance offered by the EU, the United States, and all other partners in the field of legislation and its approximation to community legislation, assistance in strengthening professional and logistical capacities, assistance in continuous security sector reform, as well as daily and stronger cooperation among us, have continued to make Albania a safer country and an exporter of security in the wider region,” stated Rrumbullaku.
The Ambassador of the EU Delegation Christiane Hohmann mentioned that this project and the overall cooperation with the EU contribute to Albania’s preparations for membership in the Union.
“The equipment delivered today highlights the solid cooperation between the EU and Albania in the field of border management and the fight against organized crime. This makes the border police stronger and more effective in providing better security for Albanians and helps Albania prepare for EU membership. I take this opportunity to thank all frontline operators for their daily work and confirm that the EU remains committed to supporting you in your work,” said Hohmann.
Through this project, the Border and Migration Police have benefited from patrol boats, surveillance vehicles with day and night monitoring camera systems, microbuses with radars, mobile maintenance services, as well as two coastal radars, one in Tale of Lezha and the other in Dhërmi.
