A ship carrying migrants was intercepted in Italian waters and docked in Albania on Wednesday, marking nearly a year since Rome and Tirana struck a controversial deal to process asylum seekers attempting to reach Europe, reports AFP.
Sixteen men, hailing from Bangladesh and Egypt, disembarked from an Italian navy vessel at Shengjin port shortly before 10:00 am.
Escorted in small groups, the men were led towards the gates of a nearby center, just meters from the ship, which departed the port around midday.
Amnesty International has called the centers a "cruel experiment (that) is a stain on the Italian government".
Italy will run two migrant centers in Albania. One in Shengjin and the other one in Gjader, 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the port. These centers will be operated under Italian authorities.
According to Italian diplomats, more than 300 Italian soldiers, doctors, and judges are involved in the operation.
After disembarking in Shengjin, the migrants will be registered and undergo health checks before being transferred to the Gjader center.
There they will be accommodated in prefabricated houses of around 12 square metres and await processing of their asylum claims.
Cells have been set up on-site for applicants whose asylum requests are refused.
'European dream ends here'
On Wednesday, several civil rights activists gathered near the center in Shengjin carrying a large banner that says "The European Dream Ends Here."
They also held photos of Giorgia Meloni( Italian Prime Minister) and her Albanian counterpart Edi Rama dressed as police officers. They question if there will be adequate protection for asylum seekers and have expressed doubts as to whether the move complies with international law.
However, Meloni brushed aside these criticisms, saying, "It is a new, courageous, unprecedented path, but one that perfectly reflects the European spirit and has everything it takes to be followed also with other non-EU nations," she said.
bd-pratidin/Rafid
