Albania, "parking" for immigrants: The new centers in Shengjin and Gjadër under criticism

The opening of immigrant centers in Albania has attracted the attention of the international media. Today, the Italian ambassador to Albania, Fabrizio Bucci, announced that the two centers built in Shengjin and Gjadër have been completed and are ready to receive the first immigrants who will be stopped by the Italian authorities trying to enter Italy illegally.

These centers are part of a five-year agreement, signed in November last year by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Under this agreement, up to 3,000 migrants apprehended in international waters by the Italian coast guard will be transferred each month to Albania for processing of asylum claims.

This development has been covered by well-known international media such as ABC News, Associated Press, Reuters and The Guardian.

The Italian government formalized the opening of these centers after several months of delay due to the need for infrastructural repairs.

According to Ambassador Bucci, the two centers are already operational, although there is still no concrete date for the arrival of the first immigrants.

Initially, these centers will accommodate 400 migrants, and then the capacity is expected to increase to 880.

Figures from 2024 show that the number of migrants arriving in Italy by sea has decreased by 61% compared to the previous year, but pressure on Mediterranean countries remains high.

According to the agreement, migrants caught at sea will first be sent on board the ships for initial screening and then transferred to Albania for further processing of asylum claims.

Italy has planned to spend about 670 million euros for the operation of these centers for the next five years.

The centers will be under the Italian administration, while the Albanian authorities will only provide external protection. The center in Shengjin will be used for initial examinations, while the center in Gjadri, near a former military airport, will serve for the processing of asylum requests.

The total capacity of the centers is expected to reach up to 3,000 beds, but it is expected that this number will not be reached immediately.

Only adult men will be sent to these centers, while women, children and vulnerable people will remain in Italy.

According to UNHCR data, men make up 74% of migrants who have reached Italy by sea by the first half of 2024.

In Albania, immigrants will have the right to apply for asylum in Italy, and the process of examining their requests will take up to 28 days.

Those who receive asylum will be transferred to Italy, while those whose request is rejected will face deportation from Albania.

This agreement has caused widespread debate, being hailed by several European countries as an innovative solution to the immigration problem, but also harshly criticized by human rights groups who consider it a dangerous precedent.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Rama has emphasized that Albania will not open other such centers for other countries.