SHENGJIN: Two reception centers in Albania designed to accommodate migrants arriving in Italy opened on Friday, according to an Italian official.
This initiative is part of a deal between the two nations aimed at addressing irregular migration into the European Union.
The agreement marks the first instance of a non-EU country taking in migrants on behalf of an EU member, attracting attention from other Western countries looking to curb the rising number of migrants from Africa, the Middle East, and beyond.
The Italian official, who requested anonymity, announced that the centers are now operational in Shengjin, a port town on Albania’s Adriatic coast, where one of the facilities is situated.
Under the 2023 agreement, irregular migrants arriving in Italy will be transported by boat to Shengjin, where they will be identified and have their asylum applications processed. Afterward, they will be taken a short distance to Gjader, a small town where they will be accommodated.
As one of Europe’s poorest countries and a candidate for EU membership, Albania is limited to hosting a maximum of 3,000 migrants at any given time under this deal.
