Albania received the first group of migrants under Italy’s controversial new border policy on Wednesday, an issue that will dominate the European Council meeting starting on Thursday.
After a two-day crossing, the Italian navy ship Libra arrived in the Albanian port of Shengjin, carrying 16 migrants from Egypt and Bangladesh rescued by Italian authorities.
This is the first transfer under Italy’s new migration management system, introduced by the Italian government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The migrants will be identified and fingerprinted at a newly built hotspot funded by Italy.
Once processed, they will await the outcome of their asylum application at a second centre in Gjader, which includes an 880-bed reception facility for asylum seekers and a 144-bed repatriation centre for those whose applications are rejected, pending deportation – if their home countries agree to take them back.
This first operation under the Italy-Albania agreement comes just ahead of the European Council summit in Brussels, where migration is expected to dominate the agenda.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote in a letter to EU leaders on Monday that “with the launch of operations under the Italy-Albania protocol, we will be able to draw practical lessons from this experience”.
She urged EU governments to explore innovative approaches to illegal migration and suggested that the EU continue exploring the possibility of setting up detention centres outside the bloc.
Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani defended the deal amid criticism from the opposition.
“This agreement between Italy and Albania is being recognised as a model by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said it should be seen as a positive example for addressing the migrant issue,” Tajani told RTL 102.5 in an interview on Wednesday.
“It’s an investment to fight illegal immigration and human trafficking and to repatriate those who have no right to come to Italy. It’s a bold, practical choice that is gaining support across the European Union,” Italy’s foreign minister added.
However, activists and human rights organisations have also voiced their concerns.
While a small group of activists protested at the port with banners reading ‘The European dream ends here’, Amnesty International called the centres a “cruel experiment that stains the Italian government”, while Médecins Sans Frontières expressed “serious human rights concerns” about the new strategy.
Meloni has rejected the criticism, telling the Senate on Tuesday in a speech ahead of the EU summit that the Italian-Albanian model was “a new, courageous, unprecedented approach that embodies the European spirit and can be replicated with other non-EU countries”.
(Alessia Peretti | Euractiv.it)
Source: euractiv.com
