dpa
Rome
Italy’s scheme to process asylum seekers in Albania has been delayed due to last-minute planning problems, and a new date for its launch has not been set.
Albania is setting up two reception centres operated by Italian officials for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea from the North African coast.
After being intercepted at sea, often from overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels, the migrants will be taken directly to Albania, according to the plans.
Their asylum applications will then be examined in the centres. If approved, they could be sent on to Italy. If rejected, they will be repatriated.
The controversial arrangement was suppose to officially kick off on May 20. But the right-wing government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed on Wednesday that the date has been pushed backed.
The government did not cite specific problems.
La Repubblica newspaper reported that the camps, which have space for up to 36,000 people per year, could now only be opened in November at the earliest. It cited Defence Ministry sources.
The centres in Albania are expressly not intended for migrants who arrive by boat on Italian shores or are picked up by private aid organizations - but only for those who are taken on board by the Italian authorities in international waters.
The deal has drawn scorn from human rights groups. They criticize the Italian government for shifting asylum procedures outside of its territory and note that Albania does not have to comply with EU law.
Initial reception is to take place in Shëngjin, a small port on the Adriatic coast in northern Albania. Here the migrants will undergo medical examination and initial processing in a facility surrounded by barbed wire fencing.
From there, they will go to the village of Gjadër, some 7 kilometres inland, where the accommodation centre will have space for 3,000 people on 7.7-hectare campus comprised of 10 buildings.
Italy will manage both centres and be responsible for
security.
Albania is to help with external security.
Meloni took office in the autumn of 2022 with the promise of significantly reducing the number of migrant arrivals. Last year, however, almost 158,000 new arrivals were counted - over 50,000 more than in 2022. So far this year, there have been almost 18,000.
