[House Document 106-98]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]





106th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 106-98
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                EMIGRATION LAWS AND POLICIES OF ALBANIA

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

   AN UPDATED REPORT CONCERNING THE EMIGRATION LAWS AND POLICIES OF 
                 ALBANIA, PURSUANT TO 19 U.S.C. 2432(b)




    July 19, 1999.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
     Committee on International Relations and ordered to be printed

                                -------                                

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
69-011                     WASHINGTON : 1999       




To the Congress of the United States:
    I am submitting an updated report to the Congress 
concerning the emigration laws and policies of Albania. The 
report indicates continued Albanian compliance with U.S. and 
international standards in the area of emigration. In fact, 
Albania has imposed no emigration restrictions, including exit 
visa requirements, on its population since 1991.
    On December 5, 1997, I determined and reported to the 
Congress that Albania is not in violation of the freedom-of-
emigration criteria in sections 402 and 409 of the Trade Act of 
1974. That action allowed for the continuation of normal trade 
relations status for Albania and certain other activities 
without the requirement of an annual waiver. This semiannual 
report is submitted as required by law pursuant to the 
determination of December 5, 1997.

                                                William J. Clinton.
    The White House, July 19, 1999.



 Report to Congress Concerning Emigration Laws and Policies of Albania

    This report is submitted pursuant to sections 402 and 409 
of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (``the Act''), following 
Presidential Determination 98-7 of December 5, 1997, and the 
accompanying report to Congress, that Albania is not in 
violation of paragraphs (1), (2) or (3) of subsections 402(a) 
and 409(a) of the Act.
    All current information indicates that the emigration laws 
and practices of the Republic of Albania continue to satisfy 
the criteria set forth in subsections 402(a) and 409(a) of the 
Act in respect of all matters covered in those subsections.
    The right to emigrate is enshrined in Albanian law and has 
been reaffirmed in numerous European human rights conventions 
to which Albania is a signatory. Albania has had no emigration 
restrictions, including exit visa requirements, since 1991. 
Albanians have exercised this right in great numbers (several 
hundred thousand emigrants) since the collapse of the communist 
regime in 1991. We know of no reports of Albanians being denied 
the right to emigrate.