Albanian authorities deny media reports of accepting English channel migrants in country

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhacka denied on Thursday British media reports about plans to accommodate illegal migrants reaching the United Kingdom across the English Channel.

On Thursday, the Times newspaper reported that the UK was holding talks with Albania to establish an asylum centre in the Balkan country for the processing of English Channel migrants. According to unnamed sources in the UK government, the prospect of a long stay in an off-shore processing camp would act as a deterrent against making the perilous crossing. The UK reportedly planned to transport illegal immigrants to Albania within seven days after their arrival in the country.

"Same old fake news this time in the front page of a respected paper as The Times! And btw I am not a 'he' but a 'she' who has always admired the quality of British media. Sad," Xhacka wrote on Twitter.

Prime Minister Rama also said that Albania would never become a place where rich countries established camps for illegal migrants.

Albania has accepted about 2,000 refugees from Afghanistan, seeing it as an obligation of all NATO nations. The country is also on the Balkan route of illegal migrants from the Middle East and North Africa.

Migrants often try to cross from France to the UK through the English Channel. British and French authorities have worked for years to reduce migrant flows between the countries, but without success. In the last few months, the UK Border Force has reported a significant increase in the number of refugees trying to reach the British coast at the risk of their own lives. (ANI/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )