Eager young Albanians risk everything for new future in UK

By LLAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

BAJRAM CURRI, Albania (AP) — Thousands of young Albanians have crossed the English Channel in recent years to seek a new life in the U.K. Their dangerous journey in small boats or inflatable dinghies reflects Albania’s anemic economy and a younger generation’s longing for fresh opportunities. In 2018, only 300 people reached Britain by crossing the channel in small boats. The number rose to 45,000 in 2022, in part because of arrivals from Albania, a country in southern Europe that is negotiating for membership in the European Union. Britain is attractive to Albanians because it has a better economy and higher-paying jobs than neighboring countries such as Greece or Italy. Many Albanians also have family ties in the U.K.