The Albanian Prime Minister smiled as he shook hands with Rishi Sunak at No10 yesterday – before declaring the way his country’s Channel migrants are singled out is ‘shameful’.
Edi Rama blasted Interior Minister Suella Braverman who last year spoke of “Albanian criminals” making the perilous journey in small boats.
The row erupted when Rishi Sunak met his counterpart in Downing Street to discuss the issue of illegal migrants from the Eastern European country.
Mr Rama said: “Unfortunately, we have seen ourselves and our community being isolated in this country for political purposes.
“It was a very, very shameful moment for British politics. »
He told the BBC: “It has been a very low point in our relationship but there is a will to overcome it.
“We will always refuse to have this mixture between certain criminals and the Albanians as such because giving the crime an ethnic stamp is in itself a crime. »
The diplomatic spat began late last year when Ms Barverman referred to the country’s “criminals” in an exchange with Labor in the Commons.
She also said that Albanians should not seek asylum here because they come from a “safe country”.
A committee of deputies learned last year that between 1 and 2% of the entire male population of Albania arrives here.
