Italy’s plan to establish migrant centers in Albania faces delays, with completion now expected in November 2024, contrary to initial promises of an earlier opening. According to a Ministry of Defense document obtained by La Repubblica, the construction timeline necessitates 233 days of work from March 23, pushing the inauguration to the fall.
The official announcement contradicts previous assurances from the Italian government, which had pledged to open the centers by May 20, 2024. Construction is already underway in Gjadër, northern Albania, where heavy machinery has been deployed to prepare a former military camp to accommodate migrants awaiting asylum processing.
The facility will have two main structures: one for housing asylum seekers awaiting adjudication of their claims and another adjacent building designated as a detention center for individuals slated for expulsion. Migrants will be directed to these centers after initial processing at the “hotspot” in the port of Shengjin, funded and managed by Rome, where arrivals are registered upon disembarkation.
Despite Albania’s non-membership in the EU, its parliament approved establishing these Italian-run facilities in February. With a capacity to house up to 3,000 migrants at a time, the centers represent a significant investment for Italy, totaling between 650 and 750 million euros over five years.
Italian authorities are responsible for maintaining order within the centers, while Albanian police oversee security outside and during the transportation of migrants. However, this arrangement raises legal concerns, as international law stipulates that the state of first reception bears primary responsibility for processing asylum claims, regardless of the mode of arrival.
Italy’s motivation for establishing these offshore facilities is to stem the flow of migrants reaching its shores, particularly under the leadership of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has pursued policies to tighten reception conditions for migrants. These measures include controversial decrees allowing the accommodation of minors in adult centers and expanding capacity during periods of heightened migration.
Furthermore, Italian legislation enacted since January 2023 has hampered the operations of rescue NGOs in the Mediterranean, forcing them to navigate complex legal restrictions and deterring proactive search and rescue efforts. Consequently, the Central Mediterranean migration route leading to Italy remains perilous, with the International Organization for Migration reporting significant migrant fatalities in 2023.