The number of Albanians illegally crossing on small boats into Britain has dropped by more than a half in the last two months, it has been reported.
The plummet in numbers crossing the English Channel since the end of last year has come after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to swiftly return “thousands” of Albanians back to their home country.
The drowning of four Albanians last month is also understood to have led to fewer crossings, as well as worsening weather making the journey harder and talks between the two countries.
“We’ve seen a marked drop in the number of Albanians coming across the Channel in small boats in recent months,” a government source told The Sunday Times. “It’s not clear exactly why, but nobody’s counting their chickens that they won’t try again, particularly as we move into the new year and spring.”
In the 12 months to September 2022, 85 per cent of the 11,000 Albanians who arrived by small boats submitted asylum applications.
More than 50 per cent of the claims made by Albanians were granted with most going to women and children.
But Britain’s National Crime Agency has stated that some Albanian migrants falsely claim to be victims of trafficking.
Mr Sunak is planning to introduce legislation to make it easier to deport Albanian migrants on flights in a bid to tackle the backlog of asylum seeker applications.
A record 11,000 Albanians arrived in the UK in small boats after they illegally crossed the Channel last year, compared with 815 in the whole of 2021.
The Home Office said men represented 95 per cent of Albanian small boat arrivals between 2018 and June 2022.
During the four months from May, Albanians accounted for 42 per cent of crossings, according to official data, but this peaked at 60 per cent on some of the busiest days last summer.
But now the proportion has dropped to below 10 per cent of illegal migrants, Whitehall sources said.
Dr Andi Hoxhaj, a lecturer in law at University College London who specialises in migration from the Balkans, said the majority of the arrivals were economic migrants.
“In some cases, what you could earn in one day here — say £200 on a construction site — is what someone might earn in one month in Albania,” he said.
Previously migrants had paid up to £20,000 to travel in the back of a lorry whereas a small boat crossing costs £2,500, he added.
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3.5/5
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
EXPATS
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Poacher
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Honeymoonish
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
AGUERO'S PREMIER LEAGUE RECORD
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Goals: 127
Assists: 31
Wins: 117
Losses: 33
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
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Based: Dubai, UAE
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The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
