Albania: Ugandan & Nigerian workers in growing tourism sector experience intimidation, restricted freedom of movement & other rights abuses; incl. cos comments
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“‘Like Prison’: How African Migrant Workers Suffer Exploitation in Albania”
…Hundreds of workers from Uganda and Nigeria have suffered a similar fate – lured to Albania to work in the country’s growing tourism sector, only to face exploitation…
A number of those who spoke to BIRN said they had paid between 1,200 and 2,000 euros to recruitment agencies, which arranged the paperwork to secure visas and work permits…
…BIRN received an anonymous email claiming that 27 workers from Uganda, employed at the Oricon Coast Luxury Resort in Orikum, faced restrictions on their freedom of movement and had been threatened with deportation if they complained….
Adjon Hanxhari, owner of Oricon Coast Luxury Resort, dismissed claims of exploitation, citing multiple labour inspections that had not identified any violations…
One was from Uganda and hired to work at the Grand Blue FAFA hotel near the northern port city of Durres….
The hotel manager could not be reached for comment…
Albania Employment Solution, the agency that mediated the recruitment of the Ugandan workers for Oricon Coast Luxury Resort, said it was unaware of any exploitation and said any eventual labour violations were a matter for the authorities…
…he and two other employees were fired from a company called P&GG…
Gentian Dallashi, owner and director of P&GG, described the employees as “lazy, liars and violent”…