The Albanian ambassador to the UK has called for an end to the “campaign of discrimination” against Albanian citizens living in the country – telling MPs that children are being “bullied in their schools” because of their nationality.

Appearing in front of the Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Qirjako Qirko warned MPs against “reinforcing negative stereotypes” associated with those from Albania.

“I would like to take this opportunity to ask that this campaign of discrimination against Albanian citizens living here in the UK should stop,” he told the committee.

“Especially in parts of the media which are involved in this wave of activity against my people living here.

“This kind of activity should stop as soon as possible because there are people especially youngsters who are bullied in their schools only because they are Albanians.”

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Mr Qirko told MPs that among the over one hundred thousand Albanians living in the UK are doctors, lawyers and engineers.

“Reinforcing negative stereotypes over a prolonged time fosters only discrimination and racism,” he added.

His comments come after Home Secretary Suella Braverman last month referred to “Albanian criminals” in Parliament.

She also described asylum seekers entering the UK as an “invasion”.

Ms Braverman’s comments prompted Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama to accuse Ms Braverman of using “purely xenophobic” words.

Mr Rama accused the home secretary of “discriminating” against Albanians and criticised her for using the “easy rhetoric” of targeting people from his people for the government’s “failed policies”.

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The government is under intense pressure from Conservative MPs to get to grips with the issue of people traffickers using small boats to ferry migrants across the Channel.

Albanians account for over a third of the 33,000 Channel migrants who arrived in the first nine months of this year.

Ms Braverman has insisted that calling for action on illegal migration is not “xenophobic or anti-immigration”.

Read more:
‘It’s no life here’: Albanians undeterred from seeking a life in the UK

Writing a foreword to a report by the centre-right Centre for Policy Studies think tank earlier this week – which has called for new laws stopping migrants who enter illegally from ever settling in the UK – the home secretary said the numbers making the perilous crossing were “wholly unacceptable and unsustainable”.

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She added that ministers would “comprehensively tackle the small boats problem”.

While Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said Albanians should be barred from claiming asylum in the UK as they are coming from a “demonstrably safe” country.

Last week, Mr Sunak held his first talks with Mr Rama in which they agreed to close “loopholes” preventing the rapid return of failed asylum seekers.

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Downing Street has said it is “extremely grateful” for Albania’s cooperation on the migrant crisis.

In November, a Number 10 spokeswoman said: “We remain extremely grateful for the cooperation of the Albanian government, we have a strong working relationship with them, which we would want to continue to build on.”

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