Albanians in UK scapegoated by rightwing media and politicians, says ambassador

In a letter to the Guardian, Uran Ferizi criticises ‘obsession’ with demonising Albanians

Albanians in Britain are paying the price in schools and workplaces of being scapegoated by rightwing media and politicians, the Albanian ambassador has said.

Uran Ferizi also criticised Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, for comments in parliament where she singled out Albanians when discussing problems with immigration.

“The obsession with demonising Albanians has reached the parliamentary dispatch box,” the ambassador told the Guardian.

“When a minister names a nationality in parliament, rather than a behaviour or a particular type of crime, they do not describe a problem, they create a target.”