Politics First migrants expected in refugee camps in Albania

After months of delay, Italy is beginning the controversial transfer of migrants to reception centers in the non-EU country of Albania. The arrival of the first group of migrants in the camps on Albanian soil is expected on Wednesday, the Italian Ministry of the Interior announced.

The 16 men from Egypt and Bangladesh had previously made their way to Europe via the central Mediterranean and were taken on board by the Italian authorities on the open sea.

Italy and Albania signed an agreement last year that provides for the establishment of reception centers for migrants. Rome intends to examine their asylum applications there in a fast-track procedure on an extraterritorial basis. If an application is rejected, the people will be deported directly from Albania. Otherwise, they will be allowed to enter Italy.

This affects men from countries of origin classified as safe, who have been picked up by Italian authorities' ships on their way across the Mediterranean to Europe. Before they are brought to Albania, they are checked on board for the first time. Women, children, sick people and victims of torture are exempt from this.

The two camps at the Adriatic port of Shengjin and in Gjader in the interior of the country officially opened on Friday. The opening of the refugee camps was originally planned for May, but was delayed several times due to technical problems.

Other European governments are closely following Italy's plans to examine asylum procedures in countries outside the EU. According to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, she is also hoping to learn practical lessons from this.

SDA