Italy's disputed asylum and migration centers in Albania are now ready to open.
From today, the two centers are ready and functional, explains Italy's ambassador Fabrizio Bucci to journalists from, among others, the news agencies AP and AFP on site in Albania.
The idea is that the two centers east and northwest of the capital Tirana will receive up to 3,000 people who have tried to reach Italy and have been picked up by Italian coastguards at sea. In Albania, the individuals will have their potential asylum applications handled by Italian personnel, before it is decided whether they have the right to stay in Italy or if they will be deported to their home countries.
The centers have sparked great curiosity among other EU countries that also hope to establish similar collaborations. At the same time, there is also sharp criticism and concern that the conditions in the camps will be worse than if the migrants were taken care of on Italian soil.
