Premier Giorgia Meloni has said that
the agreement her government has reached to set up migrant
centres in Albania could become "a model of cooperation between
EU and non-EU countries on... managing migratory flows".
"It is an agreement that strengthens the strategic partnership
between Italy and Albania and basically has three objectives: to
combat human trafficking, prevent irregular migratory flows, and
only receive the people who really have the right to
international protection in Europe," Meloni said in an interview
published in Tuesday's edition of daily newspaper Il Messaggero.
Under the agreement Meloni signed with Albanian Premier Edi Rama
in Rome on Monday, migrants rescued at sea by the Italian
authorities would be taken to Albania.
It would not apply to migrants picked up by NGO-run
search-and-rescue ships, those who actually land in Italy or to
minors, pregnant women and vulnerable people either.
At the northwestern Albanian port of Shëngjin, the deal says,
Italy will handle disembarkation and identification procedures
and set up a first reception and screening centre.
In Gjader, also in north-western Albania, it will set up a
pre-removal centre (CPR) model structure for subsequent
procedures.
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