Eight Albanian prisoners repatriated under £8 million scheme

Only eight out of 200 Albanian prisoners have been sent back to Albania under an £8 million repatriation scheme. The program, launched in 2023, aimed to return violent offenders but has faced delays, with only 67 prisoners nominated for transfer. The UK government is paying Albania £4 million annually to accept its prisoners. The deal includes various offenders, but administrative backlogs in the Albanian court system are slowing the process. Currently, 1,273 Albanians are incarcerated in British prisons, the highest number of any foreign nationality. The UK has deported 2,925 foreign offenders since taking office, marking a 21% increase from the previous year.