Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Albanian PM says UK has shown ‘regret’ over home secretary’s remarks

Albanian PM says UK has shown ‘regret’ over home secretary’s remarks

Edi Rama, the prime minister of Albania, said there were “important signs of regret and embarrassment” during talks with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the language used by a senior British minister to describe Albanian migrants.
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman drew criticism last year when she described illegal small boat crossings in the English Channel as an “invasion,” adding that they were being fueled by “Albanian criminals” owing to many of those running the boat routes being Albanian, and the number of people from the Balkan country making the journey and claiming asylum in the UK.

Government figures suggest that up to a third of all people crossing the English Channel in small boats in 2022 were from Albania.

In December, Sunak announced a five-point plan to reduce the number of crossings, which included striking a deal with Albania to station UK Border Force personnel in the country’s capital, Tirana.

Following his meeting with Sunak on Thursday, Rama told Sky News: “British/Albanian relations touched the lowest point in history since we have come out of communism because of (Braverman’s) rhetoric that has put the Albanian community in Britain under very, very heavy pressure.

“I must say that, finally, on the side of Downing Street, we have been heard and there are not only words, but also deeds in putting in place a joint task force to crack down on the criminal networks, which is, of course, something Albania has always wanted.

“While we are (seeing) very important signs of regret and of embarrassment, that is, let’s say, enough at this point. I hope very much that this will not be repeated and that the Albanian community here will be really honored.”

Rama added that it is not unusual for people from former communist countries to seek new lives in the West, and that the UK is, despite the rhetoric, still a very appealing place for many.

“I’m not here to question the sovereignty and the mandate of the British government to have a policy on the borders … but this is what it is all about — economic reasons for coming, getting a job and building a future in a place that has always been the shining city on a hill,” he told Sky News.

He added that part of the solution to the small boat crossings would be an easier visa system for aspiring Albanian workers.

“They claim asylum because there is no other way. They are not part of the free labor market. So it’s all about dreaming and hoping to get what they imagine best for their life now and without waiting for many more years (for this to) happen in Albania.

“Never forget that the Albanians here are doing great and they are helping and contributing for Britain to be a better place,” he continued. “Albanians here are working for construction companies, Albanians are nursing elderly people, Albanians are doing your cooking — so improving the British kitchens, I must say — and they are even singing too, let alone the academics and the students. And it has been so unfair to them to put them under such pressure.”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Unveils Grokipedia: An AI-Driven Alternative to Wikipedia
Russia’s President Putin Declares Burevestnik Nuclear Cruise Missile Ready for Deployment
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
China Presses Netherlands to “properly” Resolve the Nexperia Seizure as Supply Chain Risks Grow
Merz Attacks Migrants, Sparks Uproar, and Refuses to Apologize: “Ask Your Daughters”
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
Wave of Complaints Against Apple Over iPhone 17 Pro’s Scratch Sensitivity
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
×