TIRANA (Albania), May 21 (SeeNews) – The European border agency on Tuesday launched in Albania the first ever joint operation on the territory of a neighbouring non-EU country, aiming to provide support in border control and tackling cross-border crime, the European Commission said.
“As of 22 May, teams from the Agency will be deployed together with Albanian border guards at the Greek-Albanian border to strengthen border management and enhance security at the EU's external borders, in full agreement with all concerned countries,” the Commission said in a statement following the launch event in Tirana.
This operation marks a new phase for border cooperation between the EU and its Western Balkan partners, and is yet another step towards the full operationalisation of the agency, the Commission noted.
"With the first ever deployment of European Border and Coast Guard teams outside of the EU, we are opening an entirely new chapter in our cooperation on migration and border management with Albania and with the whole Western Balkan region,” the EU commissioner for migration Dimitris Avramopoulos said, according to the statement. “This is a real game changer and a truly historical step, bringing this region closer to the EU by working together in a coordinated and mutually supportive way on shared challenges such as better managing migration and protecting our common borders.”
At the start of the operation, Frontex will be deploying 50 officers, 16 patrol cars and 1 thermo-vision van from 12 EU Member States to support Albania.
“Strengthened cooperation between priority third countries and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency will contribute to the better management of irregular migration, further enhance security at the EU's external borders and strengthen the Agency's ability to act in the EU's immediate neighbourhood, while bringing that neighbourhood closer to the EU,” the Commission said.
The agency's agreement with Albania, which entered into force on May 1, is the first such agreement to become operational with a Western Balkan partner country. Similar agreements were initialled last year with North Macedonia and Serbia, and with Bosnia and Montenegro earlier this year, and are pending finalisation.