FRONTEX: 31% fewer irregular migrants in the Western Balkans in 2023

2024-03-21 09:49:45, Kosova & Bota CNA

The European Border Protection Agency, FRONTEX, published on Wednesday its 2023 annual report on irregular immigration developments in Europe and expectations for 2024.

"The Western Balkan route, which also includes Albania, reported a decrease of about 31%, with about 99,000 recorded cases of irregular emigration, compared to 2022," the report says.

According to the report, "part of the migrant pressure from the Serbian borders shifted to the borders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which marked an 80% increase in irregular border crossings in the first 11 months of 2023, compared to the same period of of 2022.

According to FRONTEX, the reported migrants, as the largest in number, on the Western Balkan Route, were mainly Syrians, Turks and Afghans.

In the summary of FRONTEX, it is stated that in 2024 the management of European borders will continue to face a great challenge characterized by the possibility of increased immigration flows and cross-border crime.

The risks for 2024, says FRONTEX can be expected to mainly affect the Central and Eastern Mediterranean routes.

The intensified pressure of migrant flows in the Eastern Mediterranean would also have an effect in the Western Balkans, says Frontex in its 2023 annual report.

Albania as part of the Balkan route and immigrant flows during 2023

Even Albania, as part of the Balkan migration route, suffered a decrease in the flow of migrants coming mainly from Greece in 2023.

According to preliminary data, less than 9,000 irregular foreign immigrants were found inside the Albanian territory, where the majority of them entered from Greece at the point of the Round of the World in Saranda.

Albania is part of the Western Balkan Route where irregular migrants who enter from the southern and southeastern Albanian border with Greece transit to travel from the northern areas towards Montenegro or Kosovo with the final destination of the European Union countries.

Immigrant flows in Albania were closely linked during 2023 with the situation in Greek immigrant camps, with the pace of irregular immigrants entering Greece, mainly from the Turkish border, but also with the activity of regional or national immigrant smuggling networks.

The Albanian authorities signed a cooperation agreement with FRONTEX in the middle of last year, which aims to ensure the exchange of information regarding allegations of violations of fundamental rights in Frontex's operational activities in the territory of Albania.

Frontex launched the joint operation in Albania, the agency's first operation in the Western Balkans, in May 2019. There are currently 162 European border guard officers working together with the Albanian Border Police.

According to data from the European Border Guard Agency, Frontex, the number of irregular crossings at the European Union's external border reached around 380,000 in 2023, driven by an increase in arrivals through the Mediterranean region.

This marks the highest level since 2016 and represents an increase of 17% compared to the 2022 irregular transitions, showing a continuous upward trend over the past three years.

Syrians accounted for over 100,000 irregular crossings in 2023, also the highest number among all nationalities.

They were followed by Guineans and Afghans.

These three main nationalities accounted for over a third of all crossings, according to FRONTEX./VOA