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Albania ratifies migrant deal with Italy
The parliament has approved the deal under which it can build processing centers for migrants run by Italy.
Members of the Albanian parliament from the opposition protest inside the parliament during a session that will include a vote on the migrant deal between Italy and Albania that will let Italy build migrant processing centers on Albanian territory, in Tirana, Albania, February 22, 2024. REUTERS/Florion Goga
On Thursday, Albania’s parliament officially endorsed a migration agreement with Italy, permitting the establishment of two holding centers for migrants rescued in Italian waters. The approval came from 77 members of the 140-seat legislature.
Italy will build two camps in Albania
The five-year pact entails Italy setting up two camps in Albania, with one designated for initial migrant screening upon arrival and the other for detaining individuals during the processing of their asylum applications. Following the processing, migrants would either be permitted entry into Italy or repatriated to their country of origin. Each camp is designed to accommodate up to 3,000 migrants, and considering the estimated one-month duration for processing asylum requests, Albania could receive up to 36,000 asylum seekers annually.
The agreement, inked in November, reflects collaboration between Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, aiming to address migration as a collective effort among European nations amid the increasing influx of migrants to Italy.
The opposition say the agreement is against basic human rights
Despite receiving support from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Italy-Albania migrant deal has faced strong criticism from human rights organizations. Albania’s opposition, following the parliamentary vote on Thursday, reiterated its rejection of the agreement.
Gazmend Bardhi, the leader of the right-wing opposition, expressed concerns, stating, “The migrant deal harms national security, territorial integrity, and the public’s interest.”
Albania, a small post-communist country in the western Balkans, is not a member of the EU but applied for membership in 2009 and was granted candidate status in 2014. Although not part of the EU, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni declared that the deal demonstrates that Albania “behaves” as if it were a member state. Meloni further stated, “Albania is not only a friend of Italy but also a friend of the European Union.”
