The UK government has paid over a thousand Albanian migrants to leave Britain, according to reports published by BBC TV.

Some of the repatriated migrants were paid up to 1,500 British pounds (over 1,700 euros).

According to the BBC, people with legal precedent benefited from these government incentives.

The flights to Albania increased since Tirana signed a cooperation agreement with London last December. The accord was supposed to "discourage and hinder illegal migration".

Over one thousand people repatriated

According to the UK Home Office, since the signing of the accord, over 1,000 people have been repatriated. Approximately half were repatriated voluntarily, while the others were migrants who had not obtained asylum and people with a criminal record.

The BBC also made contact with irregular migrants in Albania who are thinking of returning to the UK.

The news broadcaster found that some of them received 1,500 British pounds under the auspices of the Facilitated Return Scheme (FRS).

This program was introduced in the past by the British government to offer "a financial incentive" to foreign prisoners "upon condition that they cooperate to their own expulsion and that they renounce any right to appeal against the repatration".

Prime Minister Sunak's plan to stop arrivals

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak continues asking for international support to accelerate his plan to stop arrivals on the British coastline.

In particular, he is trying to change the laws on migration established by the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights) and to unlock the transfer to Rwanda of a part of the asylum seekers waiting for a response from the UK.

These transfers are the result of British legislation trying to clamp down on irregular migration.