Is this the miracle solution to Europe’s asylum problems?: This is how Meloni’s migrant deal with Albania works

We show how the Italian system should work and what problems it entails.

This year, Italy has already registered 144,700 migrants who arrived by boat. Last year there were 87,300 in the same period. Rome wants to counter the large influx with reception camps in the non-EU state of Albania. People coming from the Mediterranean will be accommodated there.

Prime Minister Meloni: “The migrants will stay in the two centers as long as this is necessary for the regular admission procedures. Once the centers are fully operational, a total of 39,000 people could flow to Albania every year. The agreement does not apply to minors, pregnant women and other vulnerable people.

Italian staff will register the migrants at the Albanian port of Shengjin and send them 20 kilometers inland to the Gjader region to two centers. These will be managed by Italy at its own expense and will be operational as early as spring 2024. Albania will assist in monitoring the facilities.

According to Meloni, yes. She says: “This agreement is of European importance and shows that we can work together to manage migration flows.”

However, there are many uncertainties. Rainer Münz (69), former migration policy advisor to the European Commission, tells Blick: “There are no border fences around Albania. It will be possible for rejected asylum seekers to move on.” The question also arises what happens to the migrants who are given the right to stay. Münz: “Are the EU countries ready to accept them? And according to which distribution key?”

The agreement is contrary to international and European law, says Social Democratic opposition politician Elly Schlein (38). The left-wing opposition in Italy accuses Meloni on X of creating a kind of ‘Italian Guantánamo’ outside the European Union. There is no way to independently verify the detention status of the refugees being hosted.

It is not known whether and how much money will flow. It was said that further details would be worked out in the coming days. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama (59) emphasized his gratitude and debt to Italy, which took in thousands of Albanians after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Rama said: «I don’t think we will ever be able to repay our debt to Italy for what the institutions did for us, from the first day we arrived on this coast of the sea to find a refuge, to hell to escape and imagine a better life. When Italy calls, Albania is there.”

The deal has been received critically. The Democratic Party views the deal as opaque. It is also said that criminals and terrorists could enter the country this way. 39,000 migrants pose a threat to the strategically important Shengjin port and would endanger national security.

Rama is accused of making the deal out of personal interests. Just a few years ago, Rama said that people in need “should not be dumped anywhere like toxic waste.”

No, the British government has already initiated a similar plan in collaboration with Rwanda. On the one hand, asylum seekers must be able to be transferred to the African country with a positive decision. On the other hand, Rwanda would also have to accept illegal immigrants from Britain. However, implementation is blocked by a court ruling that considers such deportations illegal because Rwanda is not a safe third country.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (65) announced on Tuesday that Germany wants to tighten the screws on the asylum system. Among other things, it will be investigated whether asylum procedures can be carried out outside Europe. The SVP also demands that Switzerland handle asylum procedures directly in Africa – where many migrants come from. The proposal has not been well received in Bern so far.

Unlike the Meloni deal, Turkey does not handle asylum procedures for the EU. Instead, Turkey is blocking migrants from entering the EU. The EU is paying Ankara billions of euros for this. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (69) repeatedly uses migrants as leverage for negotiations. According to the UN, almost four million refugees and asylum seekers live in Turkey.