Albania tightens security on border with Greece amid concerns of refugee influx
Albanian police have increased their presence near the border with Greece fearing Syrian refugees could use the country as a new transit-point after the route through the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Serbia was blocked.
An Interior Ministry official said Friday that the border with Greece is monitored non-stop while other police forces check surrounding streets in the districts bordering Greece. The official was not authorized to talk on the issue and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Next week Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano will come to Tirana to discuss "technicalities" surrounding joint patrols of the Greek-Albanian border.
Tirana says it is ready to shoulder its share of responsibility of the refugee crisis in a "joint European plan," adding it has limited capabilities of sheltering refugees in transit toward northern Europe.
[AP]
