Albanian Parliament approved migration agreement with Italy
Albanian lawmakers have ratified a migration agreement with Italy, according to which centres will be built to receive migrants sent to their Balkan neighbour across the Adriatic Sea, Reuters reports
This is the first example of a non-EU member accepting migrants on behalf of the EU. This is part of a pan-European campaign aiming to combat illegal immigration.
Seventy-seven lawmakers of the 140-seat Parliament backed the deal announced in November under which Italy would open two camps in Albania – one of Europe’s poorest and least developed countries seeking EU membership.
The facilities will be built on the northern coast of the Adriatic Sea. Migrants will be screened in one of them upon arrival before being accommodated in the second centre while their asylum claims are processed. They will then either be given permission to enter Italy or be repatriated.
