Italy initiated Monday the first-ever European switch of Mediterranean migrants to Albania, sparking criticism from human rights teams.
Sixteen migrants, all male, had been aboard the Italian navy’s Libra patrol vessel en path to Albania and anticipated to reach Wednesday morning, a authorities supply instructed AFP.
The would-be asylum-seekers, 10 from Bangladesh and 6 from Egypt had been rescued in worldwide waters by Italian authorities Sunday. Their two boats had every departed from Libya within the Tripoli space, the supply mentioned.
Far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took workplace in October 2022 on a promise to cease the tens of hundreds of migrants who land on Italy’s shores every year from North Africa.
In November final yr, she agreed a take care of her Albanian counterpart Edi Rama to course of some asylum-seekers in his nation, which is simply throughout the Adriatic Sea – however not a part of the European Union.
The five-year deal, estimated to price Italy 160 million euros ($175 million) a yr, covers grownup male migrants intercepted by Italian navy or coastguard vessels in worldwide waters, however inside Italy’s search and rescue space.
They are to be transferred to a army ship for an preliminary screening at sea.
From there, a dedication might be made as to which migrants are from international locations thought of “safe,” which in principle simplifies repatriation.
On arriving in Albania, they are going to be transferred to a middle within the northern port of Shengjin for registration and well being checks after which despatched to a middle in close by Gjader to await the processing of their asylum claims.
The Gjader facility – a maze of prefabricated buildings surrounded by excessive partitions and police guards – features a part for migrants whose asylum functions have been rejected, in addition to a small jail.
The scheme is being watched with curiosity in different European international locations involved about irregular migration and is more likely to be mentioned throughout a summit of EU leaders this week.
But it has additionally sparked main considerations.
‘Dark chapter’
The facilities might be operated beneath Italian regulation, with Italian safety and workers and judges listening to circumstances by way of video hyperlink from Rome.
Migrants thought of weak beneath EU regulation – together with minors, ladies, individuals with psychological well being points or victims of torture, abuse or human trafficking – might be exempt.
But human rights teams query whether or not Albania will supply sufficient safety for asylum-seekers, with Amnesty International having described the scheme as a “cruel experiment (that) is a stain on the Italian government.”
Sea Watch, one of many NGOs working ships that rescue migrants within the Mediterranean, known as the launch of the scheme Monday a “dark chapter.”
Elly Schlein, chief of Italy’s center-left Democratic Party, accused the federal government of squandering taxpayers’ cash on a plan constructed “in contempt of people’s fundamental rights.”
After almost a yr of the federal government touting its plan as a method to ease strain on Italy’s overcrowded migrant reception facilities – or hotspots – the small variety of migrants within the first transport to Albania aboard the almost 80-meter naval vessel can also be probably to attract criticism.
‘Light detention’
The Italian authorities initially mentioned the facilities would accommodate as much as 3,000 individuals at a time, however media tallies steered the present variety of beds was lower than half that.
On Saturday, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi known as the amenities “light detention” facilities.
“There is no barbed wire, there is assistance,” he mentioned. “Everyone can apply for international protection and receive a response in a few days.”
However, Italy’s UILPA jail guards’ union – whose guards might be utilized in Albania – mentioned Piantedosi’s evaluation was over-optimistic, with the water and electrical energy provide not but totally practical.
The U.N.’s refugee company (UNHCR) might be current on web site in an observatory position, at the least for the primary three months.
Illegal immigration has been a chief goal of Meloni since her post-fascist Brothers of Italy get together received a shock election victory in 2022.
Her authorities has additionally inked a take care of Tunisia, granting assist in trade for better efforts to cease Italy-bound migrants.
Additionally, Rome has renewed a 2017 take care of the U.N.-backed Libyan authorities in Tripoli to supply coaching and funding to the Libyan coastguard to stem departures of migrants or return to Libya these already at sea.
Almost 160,000 migrants landed in boats on Italian shores final yr, up from 105,000 the yr earlier than, in response to Interior Ministry knowledge.
But the numbers have sharply fallen in 2024, with round 53,300 arrivals recorded thus far, in comparison with virtually 140,000 in the identical interval in 2023.
Source: www.dailysabah.com