Sir, – Rosita Boland’s article on the current state of Albania may give the impression that Albania is just one big cauldron of corruption (“Crazed dictator may be gone but Albania now plagued by corruption”, World, November 15th).
Corruption is indeed endemic in the region, and not just in the Balkans. Albania has been an EU candidate country since 2014 (and accession negotiations are currently under way) and is a modern democracy, despite its faults. Albania is now a major tourist destination, with tens of thousands of European visitors travelling to Albania every year.
When I first went there in 1993, the country was just emerging from communism and had a lot of work to do to develop. Modern and good-quality apartments (family sized!) and shopping malls, for example, are now visible in Tirana. It is like a vibrant Italian city and has great value restaurants where fish is often a speciality of the house. Some enterprising locals have set up “BunkArt” which has transformed some of the communist-era bunkers into art installations and provides guide tours. The mountains are extraordinary and the northern Albanian Alps are a hikers paradise.
There is also the 192km “Peaks of the Balkans” hiking trail which encompasses northern Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. Guided hikes are organised. Shkoder is the main trailhead.
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The Albanian Adriatic coast is stunning and while modern buildings have diminished some beaches, there are still magical coves and beaches to be discovered, some of which face Corfu, just across a narrow channel. There are many Greek and Roman sites and a notable one is the magnificent Unesco heritage site Butrint complex in southern Albania.
Regarding the young Albanians crossing the English Channel, many of them have valuable skills that they have learned in Albanian vocational schools and adult training centres. A national qualification framework on the European model is currently being introduced.
It is highly likely that many are economic migrants and not asylum seekers.
The skills that they may bring with them can meet the skills shortages in the construction sector, or indeed in the hairdressing, hospitality, and social care sectors, for example.
In my view, an efficient work permit route for Albanians needs to be established to stop illegal entry into UK. It can be a win-win situation. – Yours, etc,
FRANK KAVANAGH,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.