Albania has a national contingency plan for illegal migrants that was published in the official gazette at the end of December, outlining the tasks that must be fulfilled from 2026 to 2028.
If migratory movements are normal, the authorities have an indicative value of 195 million lek at their disposal. But if the situation changes and it goes into the red scenario, i.e. into a migrant crisis, meaning beyond state capacities, the cost goes to 708 million lek. This strategy includes the opening of new reception centers in case of an emergency of irregular migration.
However, a downward trend in illegal border crossings is recognized, since from 178 thousand migrants per year it has decreased to 63 thousand. Most foreigners are found to have used the green border with Greece, seeing Albania as a bridge of passage, while aiming for EU countries, migrants had Montenegro and Kosovo as their exit gateway.
This official document portrays the migratory flow that, in addition to Afghans, Syrians and other citizens from the Middle East, another trend is observed of citizens traveling from Egypt and Nepal, in only one case did a citizen from Cambodia receive refugee status.
Most of the foreigners are found to have crossed the green border with Greece to enter Albania, which they used as a bridgehead with the next destination being Montenegro and Kosovo, but with the aim of reaching European Union countries.
Another way to travel to the EU is to abuse work visas.
These are contract workers from India, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, while it turns out that the Turks are also abusing the visa liberalization. The figure of 8600 Turkish citizens is given as a fact, but there is also no shortage of Chinese, 1050 of them, 250 Mongolian citizens and 100 Russians.
The document also provides information about Afghans who are under temporary protection in Albania.
Referring to applications for temporary protection, it is mentioned that a total of 9,470 Afghan citizens have withdrawn their applications, while the authority responsible for asylum and refugees has issued 7565 decisions to end temporary protection. Currently, 549 Afghan citizens are still under temporary protection in Albania.