(15 May 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tirana, Albania – 15 May 2025
1. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed by Albanian President Bajram Bega
2. Starmer and Begaj chat at the door of the president’s office
3. Starmer and Begaj stand for the photo
4. Starmer shakes hands with Begaj
5. Starmer talks to Begaj
6. Starmer welcomed by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama
7. Various of Starmer and Rama listening to the national hymns
8. Various of Starmer, Rama parading the Guard of Honor
9. Starmer and Rama enter the hall
10. Starmer, Rama getting ready for the news conference
11. UK and Albanian flags
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister:
“Yes, we are in talks with a number of countries about return hubs. And I see them as pretty important innovation and that is consistent with the work that we’ve done in relation to UK Albania reduction in numbers.”
13. News conference
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister:
“Our progress together on reducing small boat numbers has been significant. You just went through the numbers again. That is over a period, a relatively short period, quite an incredible reduction. And I think it’s a signal and an example of what can be done when two countries work together in this way. Our Joint Migration Task Force, as you have always emphasized, practical, sleeves rolled up, getting on with the job, rather than endless memos, is working to deter illegal migration.”
15. Rama speaking
16.SOUNDBITE (English) Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister:
“It is Putin who is dragging his feet. It is Putin who is causing the delay in a ceasefire. Ukraine has long been clear, several months ago now, that they would have a 30 day unconditional ceasefire. And we have long said that it’s Putin who is standing in the way of that peace. He was the aggressor in the first place. There was only one country that started this conflict that was Russia. That was Putin.”
17. Starmer and Rama leave the hall
STORYLINE:
Britain is talking with several countries to host rejected asylum seekers as they wait to be deported, the U.K. prime minister said Thursday.
Prime Minister Kier Starmer said on a visit to Albania that the return hub concept was a “really important innovation” that could more effectively tackle irregular migration.
He did not name the countries he was in discussions with or offer more details.
Albania already has a five-year agreement with Italy to shelter up to 36,000 migrants annually while Rome fast-tracks their asylum requests.
Under the deal, Italy would take back any migrants whose requests have been rejected, and they will likely be repatriated.
Children and pregnant women aren’t covered by the plan.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the agreement with Italy was a “one off” issue and that Tirana had turned down several requests for the same deals with other countries.
The British prime minister said a joint task force with Albania has helped significantly reduce the number of Albanian migrants trying to reach the UK.
He added that his government is in talks with Western Balkan countries to set up similar task forces, aiming to cut through the tangle of bureaucracy that hinders progress in reducing migrant arrivals.
The number of Albanians crossing the English Channel in unsafe inflatable rafts in search of higher-paying jobs has dropped from 12,000 in 2022 to some 600 in 2024.
“Quite an incredible reduction,” Starmer said at a news conference with Rama. “And I think it’s a signal and an example of what can be done when two countries work together in this way.”
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