Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama signed an agreement in which Albania committed to hosting the migrants while Italy processes their asylum applications.
The construction of two immigration centers under Italian jurisdiction in Albania enters its final stretch, The facility is expected to open in early August.. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama signed an agreement in which Albania committed to hosting the migrants while Italy processes their asylum applications.
Meloni has defended the controversial plan, saying it is necessary as part of his policy to crack down on immigration and deter potential refugees to carry out the dangerous crossing of the Central Mediterranean. European Union Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johannson called the agreement “illegal.”
Furthermore, Italian opposition MPs consider the plan too expensive, as it is expected to cost more than €600 million over five years. More than half of the EU Member States have signed a document calling on the European Commission to move forward on this matter. Asylum applications are expected to take a month to process, and Albania may receive up to 36,000 applicants per year.
