A/HRC/20/24/Add.1 not contain a specific clause on unaccompanied children and their protection needs and the absence of implementation protocols of readmission agreements. 25 44. At one border crossing point, the Special Rapporteur learned about an informal arrangement with authorities of a neighbouring country for the return of Albanian migrants twice a week. Under this arrangement, information on the number and profile of Albanian migrants to be returned were not transmitted to the Albanian authorities in advance, much to the regret of the Border and Migration Police. The Special Rapporteur notes that this is in breach of the Readmission Agreement which requires that the competent authorities be informed of any transfer of readmitted persons. 26 The Special Rapporteur is further concerned that no procedure appears to be in place whereby reported complaints of misconduct, ill-treatment or abuse by authorities of the returning country are recorded and subsequently shared for follow-up and investigation. At one border crossing point, the Special Rapporteur received reports of wilful destruction of Albanian returnees’ documents by the authorities of the readmitting country. 45. The Special Rapporteur observed that some border crossing points lacked and/or required additional female police officers and would require significant infrastructure improvements. While appreciating that all border points have separate reception rooms for children and women, some rooms lacked natural light. Of particular concern to the Special Rapporteur were the holding cells in three reception centres visited. One had nothing but a cement floor, open windows and humid conditions. B. Reintegration: from border crossing points to migration counters 46. The reintegration process of Albanians returned under readmission agreements or otherwise starts immediately upon arrival at the border.27 After a preliminary interview for identification and investigation purposes, the Border and Migration Police are tasked to provide returnees with information on reintegration support, including employment opportunities. Nevertheless, the Special Rapporteur is concerned that the current procedure is too law enforcement-oriented. Information about the migration counters and other reintegration services is insufficient to ensure a dignified return process that responds to individual needs and rights. 47. The Special Rapporteur heard pleas for the Government to significantly improve assistance, technical advice and training on how to reinvest their skills upon return. A more active presence at the border of social workers and other civil servants to link returnees to reintegration would be pivotal in this regard. The Government relayed to the Special Rapporteur that the Strategy for Reintegration of Returned Albanian Citizens 2010–2015 emphasizes making use of existing reintegration services to assist Albanians returning to their country. 48. The Special Rapporteur observed that very low number of returnees have registered with the migration counters: only 973 during the period 1 July 2010 and May 2011,28 to be 25 26 27 28 14 See Albanian Council on Foreign Relations, Reconsidering EU Immigration Policies Towards Albania: Smoothing Asymmetries (Tirana, 2010), p. 24. Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Albania on the readmission of persons residing without authorisation, arts. 6 and 7. “Strategy on reintegration of returned Albanian citizens”, p. 17. Information provided by the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, December 2011.

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