Albania will not become the new route for migrants, Rama says
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has said that Albania will not become the new route for migrants headed for western Europe "because we have neither the conditions nor the strength nor the enthusiasm to save the world while others close their borders."
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has all but closed its border with Greece, blocking the path for migrants who are continuing to arrive at the rate of thousands daily, leading some to wonder whether a route through Albania would be viable.
Speaking on a talk show late Thursday Rama contradicted a statement made earlier by the integration minister in which she said Albania would not build a wall to prevent refugees and other migrants from entering.
Rama said Albania could not hold "the entire burden. … I have said that in case of a distribution of the burden we shall take our part."
He added that Albania has for six months been in negotiation with the Italian government about what to do if the migrants came to his country, "because normally they would not come to stay in Albania but would target Italy" – across the Adriatic Sea. [AP]
