Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy has announced a novel agreement with Albania aimed at addressing the surge of migrants, a situation that has become a defining challenge for Europe. The deal, which involves outsourcing the processing and containment of migrants to Albania, has been hailed by Ms. Meloni as a potential model for cooperation between the European Union (EU) and non-EU countries.
However, the announcement has sparked a wave of skepticism and concern among Italian politicians and the European Commission, with calls for clarity on the legality, ethics, and practicality of the agreement. Further details on the potential rights hurdles and bureaucratic challenges of Italy’s migrant deal with Albania can be found in a comprehensive report by Reuters.
Italy has witnessed a significant increase in migrant arrivals, prompting the government to seek urgent measures. Ms. Meloni, known for her stringent stance on immigration, has previously secured agreements with Tunisia and Libya and has pushed for EU partners to share the migrant burden.
The proposed deal with Albania, details of which remain vague, is seen as Italy’s latest effort to manage a system that is perceived as flawed and disproportionately affecting Italy. Similar outsourcing strategies have been attempted by other nations, such as the UK’s controversial plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, which has faced legal challenges.
Greece has also received substantial funding from the EU to manage migrant flows, transforming some of its islands into fortified reception centers. Italy, in contrast, has received less financial support from Europe and faces domestic resistance to the establishment of new migrant centers.
Ms. Meloni’s government has enacted an immigration package to create more government-controlled centers and detention facilities for migrants awaiting asylum decisions. However, this move has been met with opposition from both conservative and progressive regional governors in Italy.
Human rights organizations have expressed concern over the offshoring of asylum processing, highlighting potential moral, legal, and practical issues. Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania has indicated that his country agreed to the deal without financial incentives, citing historical ties and a sense of obligation to Italy.
Under the agreement, Italy will finance the construction of two centers in Albania, which will operate under Italian jurisdiction and host up to 3,000 migrants. The process, as described by Ms. Meloni, involves transferring migrants to a center in Shengjin for identification and then to an inland center for a stay of approximately 28 days. However, asylum applications typically take much longer to process.
Experts have raised questions about the feasibility of such an arrangement, particularly regarding the legal jurisdiction and the functioning of the asylum system across borders. The symbolic value of the deal has been acknowledged, but its effectiveness in addressing the broader migration issue remains uncertain.
