OSCE Presence donates personal protection equipment to Albania’s Border Police

At the imminent opening of Albania’s borders, the OSCE Presence, on 28 May 2020 in Tirana, donated personal protection equipment against COVID-19, worth 20,000 euro, to Albania’s Border Police.

General Director of the State Police, Ardi Veliu, considered the donation as very necessary. “I thank you for this donation and for the support and assistance that the OSCE has continuously given to the State Police and specifically to the Border Police. With the opening of borders, the Border Police will be faced with new challenges regarding physical distancing and contact with citizens, therefore we need to be prepared and fully-equipped,” he said.

The personal protection equipment that the Presence donated to the Border Police include infra-red thermometers, plastic face shields, carbon face masks, disinfectants, and full protection body suits. They will be distributed to all border-crossing points in Albania, including ports and the international airport.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Presence also visited Albania’s main border crossing points to assess the overall situation, as well as measures taken in light of the pandemic.

The Presence has a long-standing co-operation with Albania’s Border and Migration Police, and works with them to establish joint protocols, and police co-operation centres. It also offers capacity-building for a better control of Albania’s borders against criminal activities such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, irregular migration, and foreign terrorists fighters.