Rights teams criticise settlement that might see as much as 36,000 folks a yr held in Italian-run asylum-processing centres.
Albania’s Parliament has permitted a deal signed with Italy that can see authorities maintain hundreds of asylum seekers rescued in worldwide waters whereas their functions are processed, drawing criticism from human rights teams.
Underneath the settlement, Albania would maintain as much as 3,000 migrants and refugees at anyone time in two Italian-run processing centres situated close to the Albanian port of Shengjin for durations of a couple of month. It’s anticipated that as much as 36,000 folks a yr may very well be despatched to the nation.
The settlement has been denounced by rights teams with the Worldwide Rescue Committee describing it as “dehumanising“. Amnesty Worldwide condemned it as “illegal and unworkable“.
The deal, permitted by Albania’s Constitutional Court docket final month, was backed by 77 lawmakers within the 140-seat parliament, dominated by Prime Minister Edi Rama‘s Socialist Occasion.
Conservative opposition MPs boycotted the vote, lambasting the federal government over an absence of transparency and saying the deal was an “irresponsible and harmful act for nationwide safety”.
Albania’s parliamentary approval got here weeks after Italian lawmakers additionally voted in favour of the settlement.
The Balkan nation’s president will situation a decree as the ultimate step to implement the deal.
European Fee approval
The settlement was signed in November between Rama and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. It was endorsed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Meloni mentioned she expects the 2 processing centres, which might be absolutely run by Italy, to turn into operational by this spring.
Italy would stay legally chargeable for the asylum seekers all through the method and would organise their deportations from Albania if they’re refused worldwide safety.
Rama mentioned Albania stands beside Meloni in gratitude on behalf of Albanians who discovered refuge in Italy and “escaped hell and imagined a greater life” after the collapse of communism within the Nineties.
The variety of migrants and refugees arriving in Italy by boat up to now in 2024 has almost doubled to about 160,000 in contrast with the identical interval a yr in the past.
