Belgium is launching a diplomatic mission to Albania and Kosovo to boost cooperation in tackling organised crime, prison overcrowding, and migration issues.
Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden and Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt will lead the three-day mission beginning Monday.
The visit aims to explore partnerships on issues such as criminal asset recovery from abroad and potential solutions to relieve overcrowded Belgian prisons.
The government is considering renting or constructing a prison overseas for undocumented offenders, with Albania and Kosovo among the possible locations. Ministers will hold exploratory talks on this proposal during their visit.
They will also urge Albania to repatriate its nationals currently held in Belgian prisons. As of now, 307 Albanians are in Belgian detention, including 253 without residency rights.
An existing prisoner exchange treaty between the two countries is being underutilised, and the ministers hope to address this.
Belgian Minister of Asylum and Migration, Social Integration and Major Cities Anneleen Van Bossuyt talks to the press, Friday 18 July 2025 in Brussels. Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
"If those convicted without residency rights can serve their sentences in their home country, it ensures fair punishment while easing pressure on our penitentiary system," Minister Verlinden stated.
Discussions will also cover an agreement on asset sharing, allowing criminal assets confiscated in Albania or Kosovo during Belgian investigations to partially flow back into Belgium’s treasury.
Minister Verlinden expressed optimism about the cooperation.
Kosovo is a key transit point for human smuggling and arms trafficking, is increasingly linked to Belgian money-laundering cases.
Albania remains crucial in the fight against drug trafficking, with Albanian criminal networks having a strong presence in Antwerp’s port.
“The Western Balkans are now a critical region in our fight against organised crime. I aim to build on the mutual trust established through intense collaboration in recent years,” said Verlinden.
In Kosovo, the mission will also look to finalise a legal assistance treaty to strengthen bilateral cooperation in criminal cases.
