The first group of migrants intercepted by the Italian navy under a new migration agreement with Albania are being transferred to the Balkan country for asylum processing. The controversial pact, endorsed by Italy’s far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, aims to expedite handling asylum claims outside Italian borders.
A navy ship departed on Monday with “some irregular migrants,” according to Italy’s interior ministry, though the exact number was not disclosed. Reports indicate that all individuals on board are men from a group attempting to cross the Mediterranean from Africa to Europe. Women, children, and men with illnesses or signs of torture were instead taken to Lampedusa, after being screened to determine eligibility under the deal.
The men will undergo further screening upon arrival in Schëngjin, Albania, before being transferred to a center at a former air force base in Gjadër, where they will wait for their asylum applications to be processed. Under the Italy-funded agreement, three facilities were recently opened in Albania: an asylum center for up to 880 people, a pre-deportation center with 144 spots, and a small detention center with 20 places.
The deal, signed by Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in November last year, has drawn criticism from human rights groups who argue it breaches international law. Despite these concerns, the EU has given tacit support to the arrangement. Meloni pledged to back Albania’s bid for EU membership in exchange for Rama’s cooperation.
The agreement, costing Italy €670 million over five years, places the facilities under Italian jurisdiction while Albania provides external security. The plan aims to process asylum requests within 28 days, significantly faster than in Italy, where the process currently takes several months. Only individuals from “safe” countries, as designated by Italy, will be eligible for processing in Albania. This list, recently expanded from 15 to 21 nations, includes countries like Bangladesh, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and Tunisia. Last year, over 56,000 people from these countries arrived in Italy.
Most asylum claims are likely to be denied due to the “safe country” designation, which limits the criteria for granting asylum. Migrants with rejected applications will be detained before being repatriated.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced backlash from human rights groups and members of his Labour Party after expressing interest in the migration deal during a recent meeting with Meloni in Rome, where he also pledged £4 million to support Italy’s efforts to curb irregular migration.
Meloni, known for her hard-line stance on immigration, previously advocated for the repatriation of migrants and even suggested sinking rescue boats. She has also called for a naval blockade of North Africa in the past.
