Post by : Rameen Ariff

Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has voiced strong disapproval of UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, accusing her of “ethnic stereotyping” after she specifically mentioned Albanian families during a significant announcement regarding the UK’s asylum system changes.

The debate ignited when Mahmood, addressing the House of Commons on Monday, stated that approximately 700 Albanian families were “living in taxpayer-funded accommodations after unsuccessful asylum claims.” She included these details as part of her administration’s initiative to overhaul what she described as an “out of control and unfair” asylum framework.

Mahmood proposed that reforms would convert refugee status to temporary, increase the period for permanent residency from five years to 20 years, and enable the deportation of families with children lacking residency rights. She also suggested instituting new legal pathways to the UK, together with an annual cap on asylum seekers, insisting that those whose claims are denied must be sent back “regardless of their identity.”

In response, Rama took to social media, dismissing Mahmood's comments as a “statistical drop in the ocean of post-Brexit Britain’s challenges” and warned that targeting Albanian families represents a perilous form of demagoguery. He underscored that Albanians contribute positively to the UK economy while asserting that the proportion relying on UK benefits is minimal compared to other communities.

Rama pointed out that the UK and Albania have built one of Europe’s exemplary collaborations on illegal migration since the two nations signed a return agreement in 2022, resulting in the deportation of over 13,000 individuals from the UK to Albania. He urged Mahmood to refrain from jeopardizing this alliance and echoing populist narratives against Albanians.

This is not the first time the Albanian Prime Minister has confronted UK officials concerning their treatment of Albanian nationals. Earlier this year, he declined to allow the establishment of UK “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers from other nations and criticized various political figures, including Nigel Farage, for disseminating misleading statistics and stigmatizing Albanians.

Rama asserted that British policy should avoid being shaped by ethnic stereotypes, emphasizing that “this is the very least humanity expects from the great Great Britain.”

This exchange occurs amidst larger discussions within the UK regarding asylum reform and migrant treatment, revealing persistent tensions between the UK and Albania about migration and diplomatic affairs.

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