UK to open asylum centre in Albania as France denies deal to stop channel crossing: Report

The British government is planning to establish an asylum centre in Albania as a deterrent to migrants crossing the English Channel, reported news agency Sputnik citing The Times. The plan reportedly stipulates that migrants arriving in the UK in small boats will be brought to the centre within seven days for off-shore processing. The project is estimated to cost British taxpayers £100,000 per migrant for airfare and lodging. "Despite Albanian Foreign Minister Olta Xhacka's denial of such a deal as "false news" in early October, one of the sources informed The Times that the chances of London reaching an agreement with Tirana are now "looking promising," reported the Russian news agency. 

Meanwhile, the French Embassy in London dismissed British assertions that the UK and France had achieved an agreement to prohibit "100%" of Channel crossings from France. For the record, the 100% figure was not agreed between the Home Secretary and French Interior Minister @GDarmanin  and should not be presented as an agreed commitment: it is not. And it is not part of the joint statement. #ChannelCrossings [sic]," the French embassy to the UK wrote on Twitter. The statement was issued following a meeting in Paris between UK Home Secretary Priti Patel and her French counterpart Gerald Darmanin to discuss migrant crossing-related concerns. 

UK Home Secy Priti Patel meets French counterpart to discuss migrant crossing-related issues

According to the Home Office, Patel and Darmanin agreed to increase operational coordination and also accepted the fact that more has to be done to prevent dangerous crossings. Both the leaders also agreed to speed up the implementation of the promises established in their joint agreement in July to prohibit 100% of crossings and render this dangerous route unviable, claimed Home Office. Earlier in the months of September, it was reported that Patel intends to authorise the country's Border Force to turn back small boats carrying migrants across the Channel.

Meanwhile, On July 21, London agreed to pay Paris £54 million to assist in their efforts to prevent migrants from crossing the English Channel, including by increasing security and installing monitoring technology, reported Sputnik. It is worth mentioning here that a record 1,185 migrants crossed the English Channel on November 11, the biggest number ever recorded in a single day. This year, there have been over 20,000 crossings, which is more than double the total for the entire year of 2020. 

Image: AP