Italy thinks 'outside box' as Albania camp opens

Italy opened the first of two planned camps this week in neighboring Albania, where, under a controversial deal, thousands of migrants rescued at sea while attempting to reach Italy may be transported for asylum claim processing.

The facilities will accommodate a maximum of 3,000 migrants each month who are intercepted while journeying to Italy, as part of Europe's first "offshore" initiative, while the bloc wrestles with strategies to address the issue of irregular migration.

The facility that opened on Thursday is situated in the northern Albanian port of Shengjin, while the launch of an additional center has been delayed, with construction still underway.

Funded and operated exclusively by the Italian government, the facilities in Albania have been purpose-built for migrants intercepted in international waters, excluding women, children and individuals categorized as vulnerable.

Upon arrival, migrants can apply for asylum in Italy, but those whose applications are rejected will be repatriated to countries considered safe for their return. "Italian and European legislation will be applied in these centers," Fabrizio Bucci, Italy's ambassador in Albania, told the BBC. "It's like having a center in Italy — but in Albania."

The five-year agreement between Italy and Albania includes an option to extend the term, contingent on its effectiveness in alleviating Italy's migrant influx and discouraging potential arrivals.

Migrant arrivals to Italy by sea this year have so far decreased by more than 50 percent compared to the equivalent period in 2023, reported the BBC.

The deal was first signed by Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Albanian counterpart Edi Rama last November. During a visit to Albania in June, Meloni announced that the dual migrant facilities would accommodate an initial 1,000 individuals by Aug 1.

Earlier this year, human rights organization the International Rescue Committee strongly condemned the agreement as a dangerous precedent, describing it as "costly, cruel, and counterproductive".

Italy will invest 670 million euros ($723 million) over the five-year period for the two Albanian facilities. Meloni and her conservative colleagues have consistently urged other European nations to take on a greater share of the migration challenge. Despite conflicting with international conventions, she portrayed the Albania deal as a groundbreaking approach to a long-standing EU dilemma, reported the Associated Press.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen endorsed the approach as an example of "out-of-the-box thinking" on addressing the European Union's migration challenges.