The Italian Parliament on Wednesday approved a controversial agreement with Albania to build two large migrant reception centers on Albanian territory, despite criticism from non-governmental organizations, international institutions, and the opposition.
The deputies approved the project by a vote of 155 to 115, with two abstentions. It is expected to be easily approved by the Senate, where the center-right governing coalition led by Georgia Meloni enjoys a large parliamentary majority.
The agreement, signed by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Albanian counterpart Edi Rama in November, calls for Italy to build two facilities in the non-EU country to accommodate migrants rescued in the Mediterranean Sea in order to “speed up the processing of asylum requests or possible returns” to home countries.
The two centers, which will be run by Italy, will be ready to operate by spring 2024, accommodating up to 3,000 migrants, or about 39,000 people annually. The centers will not house minors, pregnant women, or the most vulnerable people, according to Meloni.
The Albanian opposition has filed a challenge with the Constitutional Court, arguing that the agreement “violates the Albanian constitution and cedes sovereignty over Albanian territory,” prompting the court to suspend the parliamentary ratification process for the migration agreement, pending a ruling by March 6.
Even before it could potentially come into force, the agreement has been met with widespread criticism.
Opposition deputies in the Italian Parliament have called the agreement “electioneering” ahead of the European elections scheduled for June, and that it is “useless, costly, inhumane, and illegal.” They have also criticized the estimated cost of implementation, which is expected to range between 650 and 750 million euros over five years.
The International Rescue Committee, a non-governmental organization, condemned the agreement, calling it “dehumanizing.” The committee’s Europe director, Emogen Sadberry, said that “seeking asylum is a fundamental right for anyone, regardless of their origin or how they arrived.”
About 158,000 people arrived in Italy in 2023, compared to 105,000 in 2022, according to the Italian Interior Ministry.
The UN Refugee Agency said in a statement in November that “mechanisms for the transfer of asylum seekers and refugees should respect international refugee law.”
