Albania’s prime minister has sparked fury after claiming Brexit led to Britain becoming “depressed” and more small boat crossings. In explosive comments on the historic decision to leave the EU and the illegal migration crisis, Edi Rama said “some call them small boats, some call them Brexit boats”.
He added: “You left Europe because you wanted more happiness. Now you are depressed.” UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will host leaders from the Western Balkans – including Mr Rama – on Wednesday as he seeks to strengthen efforts to snare smuggling gangs and prevent migrants from crossing Europe.
Sir Keir is expected to continue negotiations on return hubs to bolster the deterrent to those considering crossing the Channel.
But no deals are expected to be announced at the Western Balkans Summit.
Speaking at a think-tank event on Tuesday, Mr Rama said of the Channel migrant crisis: “Some call them small boats, some call them Brexit boats. And one wonders why you left Europe.
“You left Europe because you wanted less boats, and you have more boats. You left Europe because you wanted more investment. You have less investment.
“You left Europe because you wanted more happiness. Now you are depressed.”
He also continued his swipe at Brexit by claiming closer collaboration improves efforts to tackle illegal migration.
Mr Rama said: “That has worked in a fantastic way. It has worked in a way that I believe is sustainable.
“It’s a systemic, confrontation with this disease of trafficking networks.” And in a thinly veiled reference to Nigel Farage, he said: “It’s not up to us to decide who will be elected and who will not be elected in Britain.
“But at the end of the day, we have seen more than once that the business of the Government is something totally different from the poetry of the opposition. So I don’t see any problem when it comes to cooperating with whomever.
“And, at the end, I believe that Farage is not the problem, Farage is a mirror of problems that has some theatrical capacity to be attractive, but the problems are elsewhere.”
But a Home Office source who was in post as tens of thousands of Albanians crossed told the Daily Express: “Edi Rama has no idea what he’s talking about.
“If he actually did his job, Albanians wouldn’t have been fleeing for the UK in their droves.
“He should spend less time mouthing off and more time taking back the record number of Albanian criminals clogging up our jails.”
Two Western Balkans nations – Albania and Montenegro – have stressed that they will not host “return hubs” for failed asylum seekers ahead of the summit with Sir Keir.
Mr Rama has repeatedly insisted he only did a deal with Italy because of his country’s historic ties to the nation.
He added: “When it comes to the to the hubs, or whatever they are called, I’ve said it, and I repeat – never in Albania.”
Turning to Montenegro’s prime minister Milojko Spajic, Mr Rama asked him if he would host a hub if the UK built railways in his country, to which he replied: “We definitely accept it, if they would invest 10 billion euros into building railways.”
Mr Spajic added: “Montenegro is not part of the migrant routes through the Balkans”.
Britain has approached Kosovo, North Macedonia, Bosnia Herzegovina and several countries outside Europe for return hubs.
Ministers hoped to secure a deal with at least one Balkan nation before the summit. But talks with Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and North Macedonia are still at an early stage.
It comes as analysis by the think tank Migration Watch slammed Sir Keir’s returns deal with France, warning only 42 people have been removed since August 6.
This is the equivalent to a return every two days. Given almost 60,000 migrants have arrived since Sir Keir took office, it would take until 2320 to remove every small boat arrival under Labour.
The Home Office has vowed to ramp up returns under Sir Keir’s deal with Emmanuel Macron.
Migration Watch chairman Alp Mehmet: “This is not a legacy to look back on with pride, Prime Minister.
“Moreover, if we receive one migrant back for each one we return, we will have the same number, plus new arrivals, to fend for.
“The public have had enough of fibs and bluster, which the gangs lap up as they get smashed on champagne.”
