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World

Kosovo president call for end to illegal migration as number of people fleeing soars

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga meets with members of Vushtri on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga urged Kosovars on Friday not to migrate as number of illegal migrants looking for a better life in the European Union has soared in the last two months. Jahjaga visited the town of Vushtrri that has seen thousands of its citizen boarding buses to Serbia and then making a tricky journey in Hungary. From Hungary ethnic Albanians, many with small children, make their way into Germany and other EU countries. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) (The Associated Press)

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    Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga speaks with members of the public in Vushtri, on Friday Feb. 6, 2015. Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga urged Kosovars on Friday not to migrate as number of illegal migrants looking for a better life in the European Union has soared in the last two months. Jahjaga visited the town of Vushtrri that has seen thousands of its citizen boarding buses to Serbia and then making a tricky journey in Hungary. From Hungary ethnic Albanians, many with small children, make their way into Germany and other EU countries. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) (The Associated Press)

VUSHTRRI, Kosovo – President Atifete Jahjaga has urged Kosovars to stay at home, following reports that the number of people crossing illegally into the European Union in search of prosperity has soared in recent weeks.

Jahjaga on Friday visited the town of Vushtrri where thousands of citizens have boarded buses to Serbia and then made the journey into the EU.

He says "the solution is not to run away" and called on Kosovars to "carry the weight" of building the young country.

Police say some 25,000 people have crossed illegally from Kosovo into Hungary since September — alarming figures for Europe's poorest region of 1.8 million that seceded from Serbia in 2008.

The U.N. says 35 percent of Kosovars are unemployed and the poverty rate is just short of 30 percent.