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Officials concerned over illegal migration from Kosovo into EU

Xinhua, January 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Senior officials from Kosovo and the European Union (EU) expressed their deep concern on Tuesday over a surge of illegal migration from Kosovo into the EU in recent weeks.

By the end of 2014, a new wave of people started to leave Kosovo and seek a better life in EU member states, even though none of them grants asylum status for people from Kosovo.

Minister of European Integration Bekim Qollaku noted that in 2014 the number of Kosovars seeking asylum in EU has increased over the previous year.

However, the head of the EU Office in Kosovo, EU Special Representative Samuel Zbogar stressed that in the case of Kosovo, there is very little chance that asylum applications will be accepted in any EU country.

"Kosovars risk undertaking considerable (financial) expenses only to be sent back to Kosovo, tragically, making them even poorer upon their return. Those who have sold properties and belongings will find reintegration much harder and could again become victims of illegal emigration," said Zbogar.

He emphasized that EU notes with concern the involvement of organised and criminal trafficking groups that seek to profit from the desperation and the steps some Kosovars are willing to take to get into the EU by illegally crossing the border, notably through Serbia into Hungary.

In this respect, EU called on Kosovo authorities to engage strongly in tackling these criminal groups, including by exchanging information about people trafficking activities with neighboring countries. Endit