Starting next month, migrants rescued at sea while trying to reach Italy may be sent to Albania while their asylum claims are processed. This controversial agreement means the small Balkan country will host thousands of asylum-seekers on Italy’s behalf.
During a visit to Albania in June, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that two centers for migrants would be ready to host the first 1,000 people by August 1. However, with that date approaching, construction was still in progress at one of the centers, casting doubt on its readiness. Neither Italy nor Albania has confirmed when the first migrants will arrive.
The five-year agreement, signed by Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in November, allows for up to 3,000 migrants picked up by the Italian coast guard to be housed in Albania each month. Initially, migrants will be screened on the rescue ships before being transported to Albania for further processing.
The centers will accommodate only adult men, according to Italy’s ambassador to Albania, Fabrizio Bucci. Vulnerable groups, including women, children, the elderly, and those who are ill or have been tortured, will be housed in Italy. Families will also not be separated.
Migrants sent to Albania will retain the right to apply for asylum in Italy under international and European Union law. Their movement in and out of the centers in Albania will be restricted. The processing of each asylum claim will take about a month, potentially leading to 36,000 people being sent to Albania annually. Italy has committed to accepting those granted asylum, while those with rejected applications will be deported directly from Albania.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has praised the deal as an example of innovative thinking on migration. However, human rights groups have criticized it. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) highlighted the risks and urged the EU not to adopt this model. The IRC has called the deal “costly, cruel, and counterproductive.”
This is not the first instance of outsourcing asylum processing. The UK’s former plan to send migrants to Rwanda was scrapped by the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper criticizing the cost as wasteful.
Italy will spend 670 million euros over five years on the two centers in Albania, which will be fully managed by Italy, with Albanian guards providing external security. The center in Shengjin on Albania’s Adriatic coast has been ready for over a month, while the other near a former military airport in Gjader is still under construction.
Ambassador Bucci explained that delays at the Gjader site were due to unstable soil and a heat wave in July. Ensuring the safety of workers and future migrants is a priority.
Local residents in Gjader, where many have emigrated due to limited job opportunities, have welcomed the center, seeing it as an economic boost. Bib Lazri, a 70-year-old resident, expressed a sense of solidarity with the migrants. The center has brought increased activity and job opportunities to the area, improving local life.
In Shengjin, the center is surrounded by a high fence topped with barbed wire, indicating heightened security. Journalists have not been allowed access to the facility.
Prime Minister Meloni and her allies have long pushed for more European countries to share the migration burden. She views the Albania agreement as an innovative solution to the EU’s longstanding migration challenges.