Italy starts processing migrants in Albania, sparking debate

Italy took a big step by starting to process migrants in Albania about a year ago making it the first European Union country to handle asylum seekers outside its borders. The Italian navy ship Libra docked at Shengjin port carrying sixteen migrants (ten from Bangladesh and six from Egypt) who were picked up at sea after leaving Libya.

The migrants were taken to a new processing center at the port which has high metal fences and Italian and EU flags. This center is part of Italys plan to discourage irregular arrivals but human rights groups say it limits migrants rights to seek asylum.

Europes growing worries about migration have led many countries to think about or put in place stricter rules. For example the UK had plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda but these were dropped when a new government took over about 15 months ago.

Giorgia Meloni Italys Prime Minister thinks her countrys deal with Albania sets an example for other European nations. The Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said that fifteen European countries are interested in the scheme but he didnt name them. The Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala suggested that Italys approach could be a model for others.

However not everyone agrees with this new system. Some protesters gathered at the port with signs saying “The European dream ends here“. Arilda Lleshi an Albanian human rights activist‚ expressed concern: “These immigrants who have done long dangerous journeys to make it to Europe are now rerouting to Albania so that they will go back to their home countries. Its ending for us (the concept of) Europe as a place of democracy of values of human rights“.

The migrants will be moved to Gjader a village 15 minutes away from Shengjin‚ where theyll stay until their papers are sorted out. If their asylum request is approved theyll be sent to Italy; if not theyll be sent back to their home countries. The centers in Albania will be run by Italian staff and can hold up to 3000 migrants at a time.

Italy says it will only send “non-vulnerable“ men from countries it considers safe to Albania with a limit of 36000 migrants per year. Right now there are 21 countries on Italys safe list. About two years ago 56588 migrants came to Italy from just four of these countries: Bangladesh Egypt Ivory Coast and Tunisia. Most of them leave reception centers and head to richer parts of northern Europe.

These immigrants who have done long dangerous journeys to make it to Europe are now rerouting to Albania so that they will go back to their home countries

Marta Welander from the International Rescue Committee warned that these new rules might make it harder for people to seek asylum no matter where theyre from or how they got there.