An Italian navy ship carrying the first group of migrants under Italy’s new offshore processing plan arrived in Albania’s port of Shengjin on Wednesday. This marks the start of a controversial policy aimed at curbing irregular migration by diverting asylum seekers outside the European Union.
The Italian government has established two reception centers in Albania, making Italy the first EU country to process migrants in a non-EU state. The first group, consisting of 10 Bangladeshi and six Egyptian migrants, were picked up at sea near Libya on Sunday. They will undergo initial checks in Shengjin before being transferred to a facility in Gjader, where their asylum requests will be processed.
Migrants who are granted asylum will be allowed to enter Italy, while those whose claims are denied will be sent back to their home countries. Under the agreement, Italy can send up to 36,000 migrants annually to Albania, but only from a list of “safe” countries, such as Bangladesh and Egypt. At any given time, Albania will host no more than 3,000 migrants.
While Italy hopes the plan will deter further arrivals, human rights groups warn it could delay asylum processing and complicate legal appeals. The Albanian facilities will be staffed by Italian personnel, and the arrangement has drawn criticism from those concerned about migrants’ rights.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has defended the policy, saying Italy is setting a precedent for other EU nations. However, critics argue that swift repatriations, a key element of the plan, may not be feasible due to the limits some countries place on accepting returnees.
