An Italian navy vessel carrying 16 migrants has successfully docked at Shengjin port in Albania, marking the first arrival under a new bilateral agreement between Italy and Albania. The ship, which set sail on a 36-hour journey, was intercepted in Italian waters and transported migrants from Bangladesh and Egypt.
Upon arrival in Albania, the migrants will be accommodated in prefabricated housing while their asylum applications are processed. Italy has established two processing centers in the country, specifically located at Camp Gjader, situated 20 kilometers from the port. These facilities are secured with high walls and surveillance systems and will operate under Italian law. Italian personnel, including judges who will review asylum cases via video from Rome, will oversee the centers. In the event of rejected applications, the facility has on-site cells prepared for individuals.
Human rights organizations have raised concerns about the adequacy of protections for asylum seekers in this new arrangement, questioning its compliance with international law. Critics argue that the structure of the centers may not sufficiently safeguard the rights of those seeking refuge.
In response to these concerns, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni defended the initiative during remarks made yesterday. “It is a new, courageous, unprecedented path, but one that perfectly reflects the European spirit and has everything it takes to be followed also with other non-EU nations,” she stated, dismissing criticism aimed at the plan.
This agreement, a first of its kind in Europe, was established in November 2023 and is set to last for five years, with Italy expected to allocate approximately €160 million annually to the initiative. Initially, the processing centers will have the capacity to accommodate 1,000 migrants, with plans to expand this number to 3,000 in the long term.
However, critics argue that the scale of this operation cannot be justified. Matteo Villa, a migration researcher at Datalab Europe, highlighted the discrepancy between the numbers, pointing out that over the past three years, more than 1,600 migrants have landed in Italy. He remarked on social media platform X, “An Italian navy vessel is taking 16 to Albania. I don’t think I need to add anything else,” emphasizing the seeming inadequacy of the program.
As the initiative unfolds, it remains under scrutiny from both supporters and detractors, with other regional leaders watching closely to see how this pioneering project develops and the impact it may have on future asylum policies in Europe.
