Italy is transporting the first group of migrants to Albania aboard a navy ship, a source close to the matter said on Tuesday, triggering a controversial plan to process thousands of asylum seekers abroad.
Giorgia Meloni’s government has built two reception centers in Albania, the first such arrangement involving a European Union nation diverting migrants to a non-EU country in an effort to stop irregular arrivals.
The source, who asked not to be identified, said the Libra ship left near the island of Lampedusa with 16 male immigrants who were rescued at sea on Sunday (13). Ten were from Bangladesh and six from Egypt — both considered safe countries by Italy.
Italy said only “non-vulnerable” men from countries classified as safe would be sent to Albania.
There are currently 21 such nations on the Italian list. Last year, 56,588 migrants arrived in Italy from just four of them — Bangladesh, Egypt, Ivory Coast and Tunisia.
Libra was expected to arrive in Albania on Wednesday morning (16), the source said.
Under the terms of Albania’s deal, up to 36,000 migrants can be dispatched to the Balkan nation each year as long as they come from the list of safe countries, severely limiting their ability to obtain asylum.
However, a European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling issued earlier this month could derail the project, experts say, as it limits the definition of what can be considered a safe country outside the EU.
Prime Minister celebrates sending immigrants abroad
Italy is setting an example for the rest of Europe by sending migrants to third countries to process their asylum claims, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday, dismissing concerns that it was violating human rights.
“It is a new, courageous and unprecedented path, but one that perfectly reflects the European spirit and has all the ingredients of a path to be followed with other non-EU nations as well,” Meloni told the Senate.
Italy said only “non-vulnerable” men from countries classified as safe would be sent to Albania.
More than a million migrants have arrived in Italy by boat in the last 12 years. The vast majority quickly flee reception centers spread across the country and look for work in Italy or head to richer northern Europe.
The centers will be operated under Italian law, with Italian security and staff, and judges hearing cases via video calls. Meloni’s government hopes the threat of detention in secure facilities in Albania will serve as a deterrent to would-be migrants.
However, human rights groups say the initiative aims to protect borders, not lives.
“The Italy-Albania plan is a way to circumvent asylum responsibilities. It’s yet another attempt to militarize borders,” said Giorgia Linardi, spokeswoman for the charity Sea-Watch which carries out rescues in the Mediterranean — one of the most dangerous migrant crossings in the world.
Italy has always struggled to persuade countries to take back all their migrant citizens and there is no indication that Albania’s plan will facilitate quick repatriations as some countries have limits on the number of citizens they take back.
This content was originally published in Italy and begins a controversial project that sends a group of immigrants to Albania on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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