The Italian navy ship Libra arrived at the port of Shengjin, Albania, early Wednesday. It carried the first 16 migrants to be processed in Italian-run centres in Albania, according to ANSA sources.
The group, made up of 10 Bangladeshis and six Egyptians, will be the first to test this new scheme. The initiative is controversial and has faced criticism from rights groups and the political opposition. However, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has praised it as a model for others.
The 16 adult men were intercepted in international waters south of Lampedusa. They will undergo accelerated border procedures. First, they will be identified and receive health checks. Then, they will be transferred to the Gjader centre, 20 kilometres inland. There, they will wait for a decision on their asylum applications.
Delays but centres now fully operational
The Albanian centres were due to open in May, but construction and procedural delays caused setbacks. These centres are the result of an agreement between Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Meloni told the Senate on Tuesday: “Italy has set a good example by signing the Italy-Albania Protocol to process asylum requests in Albanian territory, but under Italian and European jurisdiction.” She added: “The two structures envisaged by the Protocol – the Shengjin centre and the Gjader one – are now ready and operational. We took some extra time to get everything done in the best possible way, but we are very satisfied with the results of this work.”
Meloni went on to say: “It is a new, courageous, unprecedented path, but one which perfectly reflects the European spirit and which has everything necessary to be followed with other non-EU nations too. And I also thank Prime Minister Rama and his entire government for believing in the quality and effectiveness of this initiative.”
EC supports Albanian initiative
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also supported the initiative.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi confirmed 15 countries have expressed interest in the project. He said: “On the protocol signed with Albania, the attention given to the project by 15 European countries and by the European Union itself is the greatest proof of the experimental and innovative value of an initiative that aims to combat illegal immigration without affecting the guarantees of fundamental rights of people.”
Piantedosi also referred to a letter from von der Leyen to European leaders before the upcoming summit. The letter confirmed the value of the project and suggested it could become a model for others.
Meloni said the project, agreed with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, is designed to deter migrants from attempting dangerous crossings. However, critics argue that the scheme externalises the migration issue. They compare it to a new Guantanamo and say it is too expensive. Italian media highlighted the money spent could have funded Caribbean cruises for each migrant.
The Libra navy ship has a crew of 64 and transported the first 16 migrants to Albania. Meloni has said the system will be able to process up to 3,000 migrants a year. Critics, however, say this is a very low number. Foreign leaders such as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp have shown interest in the project.
