Italy’s Senate has given final approval to an agreement with Albania to house migrants while their asylum applications are processed.
ROME — Italy’s Senate on Thursday gave final approval to a deal with Albania to house migrants while their asylum applications are processed, as part of the government’s efforts to share the burden of migration with other European countries.
The bill was previously approved by the House of Representatives and passed 93-61. The proposal is currently awaiting consideration by the Albanian parliament after being granted permission by the Albanian Constitutional Court last month.
Under the five-year agreement, Albania will shelter up to 3,000 migrants at a time in two centers, while Italy will fast-track asylum applications.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government has welcomed the deal as a sign of European solidarity, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also supports it. But human rights groups have raised concerns about Italy’s outsourcing of international obligations, and Italy’s centre-left opposition branded it a costly propaganda move ahead of June’s European elections. There is.
According to the agreement document, the deal will cost Italy nearly 600 million euros over five years to build and staff a center in Albania and set up a remote review process, which will be used by Italy Opponents argue that existing immigration processing centers could be better used.