"The public rightly expect that their government will be able to determine who enters their country, and who must leave. Today, in this country, and I know in many if not all of yours, that is not the case. And the failure to bring order to our borders is eroding trust not just in us as political leaders but in the credibility of the state itself."
"The western Balkans, which includes North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, has become increasingly important to tackling illegal migration across Europe. According to the Home Office, the region is becoming a major transit route for people smugglers, as well as those trafficking drugs across borders. About 22,000 people were smuggled by gangs along routes through the western Balkans in 2024, the department said."
Shabana Mahmood is hosting interior ministers from the western Balkans in London to coordinate responses to migration routes through the region. She warns that failure to bring order to borders is eroding public trust in political leaders and the credibility of the state. Mahmood calls for strong, joined-up international cooperation to curb irregular migration and criticises inward-looking approaches promoted by Reform UK. The western Balkans — North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo — has become a major transit route for people smugglers and drug traffickers. The Home Office reports about 22,000 people were smuggled through the region in 2024. The summit aims to secure new deals and joint measures to tackle illegal migration.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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