Shengjin, Albania – An Italian naval vessel arrived at the port of Shengjin on Wednesday, delivering the initial group of 16 migrants who had been intercepted in international waters.
The naval ship, named Libra, departed from Lampedusa on Monday carrying 16 individuals—10 originating from Bangladesh and six from Egypt—who were rescued at sea after attempting to flee from Libya, as reported by a spokesperson from the Italian ministry.
Recently, Italy has established two centers in Albania specifically designed for processing a substantial number of asylum-seekers beyond its own borders.
This initiative is part of a five-year agreement made in November between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, permitting the accommodation of up to 3,000 migrants each month who are apprehended by the Italian coast guard in international waters.
This contentious arrangement to relocate the housing of asylum-seekers to a non-EU nation has received approval from several countries facing similar refugee challenges to Italy.
However, it has attracted significant criticism from human rights organizations, which argue that it may set a perilous precedent for the treatment of migrants and asylum-seekers worldwide.
