Visa Roadmap Prompts Albania’s War on Traffickers

Tirana | 21 December 2009 |

Lulzim Basha

Interior Minister Lulzim Basha declared on Monday that Albania’s determination to gain visa-free travel to the EU was the main reason for the government’s decision to stiffen the battle against human trafficking.

Speaking at a meeting of the National Committee Against Human Trafficking, Basha said the government was engaged in a campaign to improve its ranking in the US State Department human trafficking report while the EU also considers a bid to include the country in the so-called White Schengen list in 2010.

“Efficient means and mechanism have been created not only to combat criminal gangs but also to facilitate the reintegration [into society] of trafficking victims,” Basha said.

“Such efforts come at a critical moment for the country while the decision to lift visa requirements is being discussed and after receiving the EU’s readiness questionnaire [that follows Albania’s formal application for EU candidate status],” he added.

The EU recently lifted visa obligations on three Balkan states, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro. Holders of the new biometric passports, which incorporate increased security safeguards, are now entitled to visa-free travel to 25 members of the 27-nation bloc. The two exceptions are Britain and Ireland.

Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina were excluded from the provisions owing to their lack of progress on technical requirements, which include increased progress against human trafficking.

According to the 2009 State Department Human Trafficking Report, Albania remains a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labour, including forced begging.

“Albania does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so,” the report said, adding that the country should vigorously investigate and prosecute the complicity of law enforcement officials in trafficking.

Basha referred to recent controversial legislative initiatives, including the extension of a moratorium on speedboats on the coast and a new anti-mafia law, as key aides to success against the traffickers. “We should be able to improve our ranking by next year,” Basha said.

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Comments:

visa obligation IS the main cause of trafficking!
2009-12-22 05:54:27

The impossibility to get a visa by normal way is the cause of trafficking:It is the raison why people pay criminel gangs to have a possibility to get in europe,to join their parents friends,etc. And the fact that they have come through an illegal way is the reason why these people are subject to chantage or exploitation. So europe during all this years have done only one thing:create strong wealthy group of criminals,by refusing visa to east europeans.In no case they have stopped immigration,as the number of immigrant prouves it. But yes,europe has created and strengthened criminal gangs by these visa regim.Even evropean employees in our countries have been implicated in these traffics! And don't worry ,criminels Do have a visa,they have got it from the beginning! It is only the poor dependent people who are really in need that are condamned to use illegal ways,Not the rich criminel ones!

shopping
2009-12-22 22:31:41

"Albania’s determination to gain visa-free travel to the EU was the main reason for the government’s decision to stiffen the battle against human trafficking" ... what, the criminal nature and blatant immorality of trafficking are not important enough? It's all about shopping trips to Paris?

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Visa Roadmap Prompts Albania’s War on Traffickers