Italy wants to build reception centers in Albania for migrants who have come across the Mediterranean. The agreement with Prime Minister Rama is causing strong criticism, especially in Albania.
A migration agreement agreed with Italy is met with resistance in Albania. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on Monday at a press conference with his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni in Rome that he wanted to set up reception centers for Mediterranean migrants run by Italy. Both sides signed a corresponding declaration of intent.
Conservative groups in the Western Balkan country called for protests. The agreement was concluded “without parliamentary discussion, political agreement, any analysis and public transparency,” criticized opposition politician Belind Kellici.
Rama wants to turn Albania into a “center for illegal immigrants in Europe,” another opponent of the agreement is quoted in local media. In addition to refugees from Iran and Afghanistan, Albania will also have to deal with “African and Asian migrants on their way to Italy” in the future, said analyst Lutfi Dervishi.
Enable faster returns
In order to limit irregular migration across the Mediterranean from North Africa to Europe, Italy wants to build two reception centers for migrants in Albania. Asylum applications should be examined in the reception centers and, if necessary, faster returns made possible.
The agreement exclusively targets migrants making their way to Italy on boats across the central Mediterranean, Meloni told the newspaper Il Messaggero. After being rescued on the high seas, they should be brought immediately to the Albanian centers. “The facilities will be able to accommodate up to 3,000 migrants at a time.” The agreement therefore does not apply to minors and pregnant women.
Meloni: Model for similar agreements
The centers will be managed by Italy and will be operational as early as next year. Albania will help monitor the facilities. According to Meloni, the agreement between Italy and Albania could be a model for similar agreements with other countries. “In fact, I believe it can become a model for cooperation between EU countries and non-EU countries in managing migration flows.”
Criticism also from the Italian opposition
The Italian opposition also criticized the agreement. It appears to violate international and European law, said Social Democratic opposition politician Elly Schlein.
In Italy, high migration numbers via the Mediterranean route have been discussed for a long time. According to the Interior Ministry in Rome, more than 144,700 people arrived on boats this year through early November. In the same period last year there were around 87,300.
There is also currently a debate in Germany about whether asylum procedures could be carried out outside the EU. SPD party leader Lars Klingbeil was open to the idea that procedures could begin there as part of “migration partnerships”. Until now, the EU’s external states have mostly been responsible for registering asylum seekers. In fact, many migrants travel on to Germany to apply for asylum here.