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| Uran Ferizi in the middle |
Uran Ferizi, 42 years old, is expected to be officially appointed by King Charles as the new ambassador of Albania to the United Kingdom. Last week, he was officially accepted by the Foreign Ministry of David Cameron.
Regarding his appointment as ambassador to the United Kingdom, journalist Alsadair Palmer, through an article in 'The Spectator,' has revealed his acquaintance with Ferizi and his journey from an undocumented immigrant in the United Kingdom to confirmation as an ambassador in this country. The 42-year-old is seen as the right person with whom Rishi Sunak can cooperate to address the issue of illegal immigration of Albanians to the United Kingdom, as he is believed to be most familiar with the matter.
This journey is described as fascinating by "The Spectator," detailing how Ferizi arrived in London with the dream of studying at Oxford, where he built his academic career.
Excerpts from journalist Alsadair Palmer's account of Uran Ferizi:
"He told me he had been determined to come to Britain since he was 15 years old. He decided he wanted to study at the University of Oxford, partly because his father had mentioned an education at Oxford as something his son could never achieve. This filled young Uran with a strong desire to prove his father wrong. He felt he had no future in Albania. His parents had lost most of their savings when their bank invested in the Ponzi scheme that bankrupted millions of Albanians.
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| Uran Ferizi |
Uran had to swim, with his clothes, the last 200 yards to reach Italy: the crew ordered everyone to disembark from the boat while it was still at sea. When he finally emerged from the water, he walked for six hours to get to Brindisi. The smugglers had told him he could take a taxi to Milan from there. He gave his precious 150 German marks to a taxi driver. A completely exhausted Uran slumped in the cab. When he woke up, the taxi driver told him he was in Milan. Only when he reached the train station did he realize he wasn't: he was still in Brindisi.
Hungry, cold, his clothes barely drying, and now penniless, the rational decision might have been to give up on going to Oxford. But Uran boarded a northbound train to Milan. His first task was how to avoid the ticket collector. He sat in a carriage opposite a dignified Italian lady who looked distressed as she stood shivering on the platform. He told her about his recent journey and the taxi driver's deception for all the money he had left. When the ticket collector came and asked for his ticket – the lady paid Uran's fare.
In Milan, Uran secretly boarded a train bound for Antwerp, where he had a cousin with whom he could stay while figuring out how to cross the Channel. The problem was once again how to avoid the ticket collector. This time, his fellow passengers were a group of journalists. He started a conversation with them about immigration. Sensing a story, they helped distract the ticket collector when he came – and Uran once again managed to make a long train journey without paying.
After arriving in Antwerp, Uran stayed with his cousin for three weeks. He determined where in Ostend trucks parked that were heading to Britain overnight and how to sneak into them without alerting the driver. The problem was once again how to evade the ticket collector. This time, his fellow passengers were a group of journalists. He started a conversation with them about immigration. Sensing a story, they helped distract the ticket collector when he came – and Uran once again managed to make a long train journey without paying.
For the first time, he felt his dream of going to Oxford had ended. Dispirited, desperate, and hungry, he thought about how often his father had told him he would never go to Oxford. This thought was enough to spur him to try again. He got off the train and went to the line of trucks waiting to be checked by customs and the police.
He crawled under a truck that he knew would go to Dover and found a way to hang on to the chassis. He heard the searches starting again: the police had returned with a sniffer dog. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable. But the inevitable did not happen. This time, the dog didn't notice him, and the police passed without stopping. The truck climbed the ramp and went onto the ferry. The individual who in early 2024 will present his credentials to King Charles III was dragged from under the immobile truck. He was finally on his way to Britain.
As soon as he arrived in Dover, Uran contacted the local council. Since he had not yet turned 18, he was a minor, and social services had to take care of him. He was given £20 and a place to stay. But he wanted to go to Oxford. He took a train to London. There he contacted social services, who found him a room to share with another undocumented immigrant.
Uran's first task was to find a job. After four days of walking around London, stopping at every place with an outdoor sign offering work, he got a job washing dishes in a Greek restaurant in Islington. He also began attending evening classes, initially to improve his English, then to take A levels, which he knew he needed to reach Oxford. He also met the woman who would become his wife. Although he loved her – he vividly recalls her as 'beautiful and clever' – the marriage fell apart due to the issue of children and Oxford. He wanted children. She did not. He was determined to go to Oxford. She told him he had to choose between her and Oxford.
He chose Oxford. They divorced.
Uran passed A-levels in mathematics and physics with an A grade. He applied to University College, Oxford. He was called for an interview and took the college's math test. To his boundless delight, he was offered a place to study engineering. He could not secure that place until his status was regularized. He went to Lunar House in Croydon, the Home Office center for visas and immigration. He was sent to an official who explained to Uran that he could deport him now. Uran showed the official the letter from Oxford. He told the official he had a choice: he could destroy the promising future of a young man by deporting him. Or he could give him the chance to go to Oxford and do something meaningful with his life.
The official told Uran to wait outside his office while he consulted with his colleagues. After what seemed like an eternity, Uran Ferizi was called. The official handed him a piece of paper. At the top, it said: Leave to remain with no time limit.
Dr. Ferizi does not know how the decision was made or exactly why Home Office officials decided to let him stay in Britain. According to a strict application of the rules, he should have been deported, and now, in the same circumstances, he would surely be an illegal immigrant, without documents, as he was, Albanian.
Uran Ferizi later applied for and obtained British citizenship. To become the ambassador of Albania to London, he had to renounce his British citizenship, as required by diplomatic status. It was a very painful decision. Being British is very dear to him; the debt of gratitude he feels toward this country is colossal. He has been assured that he can reapply once his time as ambassador of Albania concludes."