TIRANA, May 30/ATA/-Albania’s Minister of Interior Fatmir Xhafaj held a phone conversation with his Austrian counterpart Herbert Kickl as the two countries have a great cooperation and the two ministers met in Vienna early this month.
The conversation focused on the issue of migrants as their number from third countries and who pass through the Balkans toward the EU has increased.
Minister Xhafaj acquainted his Austrian counterpart with the increased measures of the State Police for facing with this situation especially along the border line with Greece.
Xhafaj promised that Albania will do its best to prevent this phenomenon although it has scarce available resources. In this context, the signing of the already agreed bilateral agreement FRONTEX will have a special impact.
On his part, Minister Kickl positively assessed the efforts of the Albanian side. He also suggested some topics of the agenda during the regional meeting of Brdo in Slovenia in early June.
The Austrian minister emphasized the need of well-coordinated actions between the states.
Minister Xhafaj shared the same view and highlighted the indispensability of a meeting of heads of border guards of the regional countries that would conclude with a joint operational plan. He also proposed a meeting of the Western Balkans ministers together with Austria, Italy and Slovenia to politically coordinate efforts in this direction.
The interlocutors talked on the proposal of the Albanian side to establish a Regional Centre of Police and Cross-Border Cooperation which would deal even with this issue.
Minister Xhafaj demanded that the EU must consider a financial package, indispensable to support management of Western Balkan borders.
Minister Xhafaj also said that the Albanian side will present all its proposals in writing. Minister Kickl welcomed this thing and suggested that the Albanian proposal for establishment of a Regional Centre of Police Cooperation must be the topic of the Western Balkans conference by September./a.g/p.s./
