Return Risk Assessment: Albania (2026) — Blood Feuds and State Protection

Last updated: 7 October 2026

Photo: Albania - tjabeljan

The risk on return to Albania is a critical question for asylum decision-makers in 2026. Albania is an EU candidate country. It is often treated as a "safe country" in asylum processes. However, for specific groups, returning to Albania means returning to real danger. Blood feud families face death. Domestic violence victims face their abusers. Trafficking victims face re-trafficking. This Albania return risk assessment examines the dangers for each group and evaluates whether the Albanian state can provide effective protection. For expert witnesses preparing reports on Albanian cases, this assessment provides the key evidence.

This report is based on evidence from the European Commission, the US Department of State, UNHCR, the Council of Europe, and UK case law. It covers the period through early 2026.

The "Safe Country" Problem: Why EU Candidacy Does Not Mean Safety

Albania has been an EU candidate since 2014. Accession negotiations opened in 2022. Because of this status, many asylum decision-makers assume that Albania is a safe country. This assumption is wrong for specific groups. EU candidacy means that a country is working toward meeting European standards. It does not mean that it has already met them. The European Commission's own progress reports document serious failures in Albania's protection of human rights.[1]

The UK and some EU member states include Albania on their lists of "safe countries of origin." This creates a presumption that Albanian asylum claims are unfounded. However, this presumption can be rebutted with evidence. The evidence presented in this assessment shows that Albania is not safe for everyone. The "safe country" label should not prevent careful examination of individual claims.

Furthermore, Albania's progress on law reform does not equal progress on implementation. The country has modern laws that look good on paper. However, the police do not enforce them. The courts are slow and sometimes corrupt. Government services are underfunded. For vulnerable people, the gap between law and practice is the difference between safety and danger. For more on Albania's legal framework, see our country reports.

Categories at Risk: Albania Return Risk by Group

Not all Albanians face the same level of risk upon return. The Albania return risk depends on the individual's specific circumstances. The following assessment covers the main categories of at-risk individuals.

Documented Harm Upon Return

Blood Feud Killings After Return

There are documented cases of Albanians who were killed after returning to Albania from abroad. In some cases, individuals who had been deported or who returned voluntarily were killed by members of feuding families within days or weeks of their return. These cases show that the threat is real and immediate. The Albanian police could not protect these individuals despite knowing about the feud in advance.[2]

News reports from Albanian media document blood feud killings every year. In 2023 and 2024, multiple killings were attributed to blood feuds. Some victims had recently returned from abroad. Others had tried to relocate within Albania. The pattern is clear: blood feuds follow people wherever they go in Albania. Distance within the country does not provide safety.

DV Victims Returned to Abusers

Albanian women who are returned to Albania after failed asylum claims face a high risk of returning to their abusers. Many of these women left because the police could not protect them. When they return, the situation has not changed. The police still do not provide effective protection. The abuser often knows that the woman has returned. Family networks ensure that information travels quickly. Women who have "shamed" their family by seeking asylum may face additional punishment.[3]

Trafficking Victims and Re-trafficking

Trafficking victims who return to Albania face a serious risk of re-trafficking. Trafficking networks operate across the country. Victims who testified against traffickers face threats of violence. Even those who did not testify may be targeted again because they are known to be vulnerable. The Albanian witness protection program is weak. Shelters for trafficking victims are few and temporary. Many trafficking victims who return to Albania end up in the same situation they escaped from.[4]

The return of trafficking victims to Albania without adequate support and protection arrangements puts them at serious risk of re-trafficking. The Albanian state's capacity to protect these individuals remains limited.

US Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report 2024: Albania

State Protection Assessment

Police

The Albanian police are the first line of protection for people at risk. However, the evidence shows that police protection is not effective for vulnerable groups. Police officers often dismiss complaints from domestic violence victims. They tell blood feud families to "stay inside." They may have connections to organized crime or trafficking networks. Corruption within the police force remains a problem despite reform efforts. The European Commission's 2024 report noted continued concerns about police accountability.[5]

Judiciary

The Albanian judiciary has undergone significant reform through the vetting process. This process has removed many corrupt judges. However, it has also created a shortage of judges. Courts are slow. Cases take years. Protection orders for domestic violence victims are not properly enforced. Criminal cases related to blood feuds often go unsolved. The judiciary cannot provide timely or effective protection for people at risk. For more analysis of judicial reform, see our country reports on Albania.

Government Services

Government services for vulnerable people are underfunded and inadequate. There are only about 200 shelter places for domestic violence victims in the entire country. There are no safe houses for blood feud families. Trafficking victim support programs are limited. Social services in rural areas are almost nonexistent. The government has national action plans and strategies on paper. However, funding and implementation are far below what is needed.

Internal Relocation: Why Albania Is Too Small

Albania is one of the smallest countries in Europe. It covers only 28,748 square kilometres. To put this in perspective, it is smaller than Belgium. The population is about 2.8 million. Family and social networks are strong and extend across the entire country. In this context, internal relocation does not provide meaningful protection for most at-risk groups.[6]

For blood feud families, relocation within Albania is not safe. Feuds follow families wherever they go. There are documented cases of people killed after moving to a different city. In a country this small, it is easy to find someone. Family connections, social media, and community networks make hiding almost impossible.

For domestic violence victims, relocation faces similar problems. The abuser's family network can find the victim. Additionally, a woman who relocates has no support. She has no family, no income, no housing, and no childcare in a new city. The state does not provide relocation assistance. Without support, internal relocation is not a real option.

For LGBTQ+ individuals, Tirana offers slightly more anonymity than other cities. However, even in Tirana, social attitudes remain hostile. LGBTQ+ people from smaller cities who relocate to Tirana may still face threats from family members. Internal relocation may be possible in some individual cases, but it should not be assumed as a default.

Key UK Case Law on Albanian Asylum Claims

UK tribunals have considered numerous Albanian asylum cases. The key Country Guidance case on blood feuds is EH (blood feuds) Albania CG [2012] UKUT 348 (IAC). This case established that blood feuds are a real phenomenon in Albania and that state protection may be inadequate. However, it also stated that each case must be assessed individually.[7]

More recent decisions have addressed Albania return risk in the context of trafficking and modern slavery. The UK's National Referral Mechanism identifies many Albanian nationals as victims of trafficking. When these individuals face return, the question is whether Albania can protect them from re-trafficking. The evidence suggests that in many cases it cannot.

The UK Home Office has published Country Policy and Information Notes on Albania covering blood feuds, domestic violence, trafficking, and LGBTQ+ issues. While these notes acknowledge many of the problems documented in this assessment, they sometimes suggest that state protection is "in general" available. This language can mislead decision-makers. The question is not whether protection is available "in general" but whether it is effective for the specific individual in question.[8]

The question in every case is whether the state can provide effective protection to this particular individual. A general improvement in Albania's legal framework does not mean that protection is effective for blood feud families, DV victims, or trafficking survivors.

Principle derived from UK Upper Tribunal case law on Albanian asylum claims

Conclusion

Albania return risk in 2026 remains serious for specific groups. Blood feud families face a real threat of death. Domestic violence victims face continued violence from abusers who the police will not stop. Trafficking victims face re-trafficking. LGBTQ+ people face social violence and family rejection. Roma face systematic discrimination. For each of these groups, the Albanian state fails to provide effective protection.

The "safe country" label attached to Albania as an EU candidate is misleading. It creates a false presumption that Albanian asylum claims are unfounded. The evidence shows otherwise. Albania has good laws but very poor implementation. The police are not effective. The courts are slow. Government services are underfunded. Internal relocation is not viable for most people because the country is too small and family networks are too strong.

For expert witnesses and asylum decision-makers, this assessment provides a clear framework. Each Albanian asylum claim must be assessed on its individual facts. However, the systemic failures documented here mean that many Albanians do face a real risk of serious harm upon return. Albania return risk is real, and it must be taken seriously in every case. For more detailed analysis, see our human rights reports on Albania.