The Netherlands is a country that has repeatedly said “NO” to Albania to launch the process of membership in the European Union of Albania.
Guusje Korthals Altes present in Shkodra at an exhibition against trafficking in human beings stated that the Netherlands is studying the report sent by the European Commission on Albania’s progress regarding EU membership and then there may be an answer. Ambassador Altes responded briefly, refusing to comment much on the issue.
Some of your colleagues have said “YES” to the moment for the opening of EU negotiations with Albania, while you represent a country that has said “NO” several times, is Albania ready for the Netherlands to be part of the union?
“Thank you very much for the question. The Netherlands is currently studying the report sent by the European Commission on Albania’s progress“, said Guusje Korthals Altes.
The Dutch diplomat also spoke about the problem of trafficking in human beings, saying that law enforcement institutions in Albania should cooperate more in order to end the phenomenon of impunity for traffickers.
“Trafficking is a problem that occurs in all countries of the world, including the Netherlands, and the first step to stop trafficking in human beings is to talk about it. It is usually a very sensitive and difficult issue to talk about and in this way we have started collaborating with the ‘Tirana Art’ center to start and use art as a way to start discussing trafficking issues. Even though we have used art again it is difficult to come out and speak openly and fearlessly about this issue.
I hope that we will continue to find ways to talk and keep the discussion on trafficking issues open and to keep signals captured because it is very important for trafficked women and girls to be heard, to be heard. be accepted and above all not blamed for what happened to you. This is not just a matter of victims but it is the responsibility of the whole community to accept and address it as a phenomenon that occurs.
My message to young people is that if they see something going wrong it is better to go and talk to someone they trust as soon as possible so that it is not too late.
All links of law enforcement bodies in Albania to cooperate with each other so that impunity is not a reality but all those who are part of trafficking receive the punishment they deserve because it is the duty of all of us together with the institutions to we give a hand to stop the phenomenon of trafficking. We have opened the discussion and will continue until we stop. For the cases between the law enforcement bodies of Albania and the Netherlands there is a cooperation and there have been issues that have been addressed here, in the Netherlands or other countries. In recent years, the cooperation between the law enforcement bodies of Albania and the Netherlands has been strengthened and we hope that it will continue even further “, said the ambassador.
