Invited on Top Channel’s talk show “Shqip”, with Rudina Xhunga, the
German Ambassador to Tirana, Helmut Hoffman, appealed the Albanian
political class to not politicize the problem of asylum seekers but
rather help fighting it.
“It is very difficult to not have it returned to a political debate, but this is very serious to just have a political debate. A foreigner who lives here for several years knows that the social situation is difficult. There are many people who live with less than 150 Euros a month, and others who have things going on very well for them. I see a small social commitment of those who have things going well. This makes hopes to get lost. If citizens see politics as a constant fight and debate, if everything is put in question, if every reform is prejudged, how can there be trust in politics. This makes a mixture of mistrust and makes people want to leave the country. I hope that the political class will sit and cooperate to soften the phenomenon”, Hoffman declared.
Dhe German ambassador declared that Germany needs no economic immigrants.
“People with qualifications can go to test it. They can stay there for three months, meet employers, return to Albania and apply at the German embassy. We will send the file to Germany and if it is approved, everything is OK. My appeal to everyone is that this is not the right way. It is very important to not look for the blame at someone else”, the German ambassador declared.
The number of Albanian people who have applied for economic asylum in Germany has increased in the past months. This has been confirmed by Ambassador Hoffman too.
“This is a dramatic development, not only for Albania, but for the entire Western Balkan region. As for Albania, the figures have increased drastically by the end of 2013. In 2014 we had less than 8000 Albanians from Kosovo and Macedonia. Only this March we had 3000 applicants. There are 36000 people in total from Albania”, Hoffman declared.
Top Channel
