Accompanied by State Police Director General Skënder Hita, Demo praised the officers handling daily arrivals and departures at Albania’s main air border crossing while maintaining security and border controls.

During the summer, border police at Rinas worked under increased pressure as passenger traffic reached tens of thousands a day. In August, around 55,000 passengers a day were reported, prompting border services to operate on 12-hour shifts during the tourist season.

“You are the first face travellers see when they arrive in our country, and the relationship we establish with everyone crossing the border, both Albanian and foreign citizens, is the security we want to convey,” Demo told officers.

He said the results achieved during the tourist season were primarily the result of the work of frontline personnel, adding that police conduct should set an example of civic behaviour across public services, starting at border crossings.

The meeting also highlighted the growing use of technology to process passengers and improve border services. Modernised systems and border-control equipment, including e-Gates, have helped reduce processing times and manage passenger flows more efficiently.

Demo said technology would remain an important tool but would not replace the role of police officers.

Demo said the growing number of travellers required continued investment in staff, technology and working conditions. He said authorities were also considering strengthening the Rinas police station ahead of the holiday period and next year’s tourist season.

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Balluku noted that “unstable weather conditions may cause occasional diversions or delays during landings.”

She added that air navigation services are fully engaged to manage any unusual situations that may arise due to worsening weather conditions in the coming hours.

Some flights at the airport have experienced changes to arrival and departure times due to adverse weather, Balluku said.

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Interior Minister took to the social media to post a video showing him and the visiting UK’s Minister of State for Illegal Migration, Michael Tomlinson during an inspection visit to the border control points at Rinas airport in Tirana.

“Together with the British Minister Michael Tomlinson at Mother Teresa airport, the largest air gate in the Western Balkans with over 1500 flights weekly. Together we visited the Operational Command Centre established through United Kingdom’s financial support,” Balla said.

“Only three flights in a week were recorded in 1991, whereas with 1500 flights weekly, Rinas airport is the busiest airport with the largest number of flights in the Western Balkans,” Balla added.

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Another batch of 16,380 BioNTech/Pfizer vaccines funded by the EU and facilitated by Austria just arrived in Albania after the contract signed between Albanian government and the Pfizer company.

“Over 16 thousand doses of Pfizer vaccine have been delivered to Albania in the light of the contract between the Albanian government and the Pfizer company. Vaccine doses have been provided through the support of the EU and the Austrian government. This tripartite agreement has enabled the arrival of doses of the Pfizer vaccine as soon as possible,” Manastirliu said.

“So far, there have been delivered 60 thousand vaccine doses and by the end of August, nearly 150 thousand EU-funded vaccines will be delivered to Albania. We are in this together until we defeat the pandemic and everyone is safe,” EU Ambassador Soreca said.

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