Albania 03-05 April 2024 - IOM initiated consultative meetings with key stakeholders from the State Police, Ombudsperson, State Agency for Child Rights and Protection, State Social Service and non-governmental organizations, for the development of a Feasibility Assessment on Alternatives to Immigration Detention in Albania. 

The Assessment is developed in the framework of the project IPA III “EU Regional Support to Protection-Sensitive Migration Management Systems in the Western Balkans”. It aims to identify opportunities and support the Albanian authorities in operationalizing effective alternatives to immigration detention in compliance with national, European and international standards. 

The Feasibility Assessment will provide an overview of the immigration detention context and capacities, an analysis of the legislative framework and operational practices, and a mapping of the key stakeholders relevant to the context of detention for immigration reasons. The Feasibility Assessment will additionally outline the key opportunities that would facilitate the implementation of alternatives to detention (ATD) programs, including capacities of state and non-state protection actors, policy priorities and legal obligations, and cost-effectiveness. The main target audience for the Feasibility Assessment are the policy- and operational-level state authorities responsible for immigration detention and protection, with a particular focus on children. The recommendations of the assessment can be used by the beneficiaries as a basis to develop strategy and policy priorities on ATD, and to seek international cooperation support in this area.

In these initial consultations, IOM legal experts met with local groups of interest, and visited the Closed Centre for Foreigners in Karec and the Migrant’s Registration and Temporary Accommodation Center in Kapshtica, to get a better insight into the immigration detention context and capacities.

In support of the Enlargement strategy and in line with the IPA III Programming Framework, this action aims to contribute to effective protection-sensitive migration and asylum management in the region aligned to EU and international standards. Ultimately, the action will contribute to the effective and rights-based management of migrants and persons in need of international protection in the Western Balkans.