After a 36-hour journey, an Italian navy ship arrived in Albania with 16 migrants.
Writes UNN with reference to RAI.
A naval ship with 10 Bengali and six Egyptian migrants on board arrived in Albania and docked in the port of Shenjin.
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Italy and Albania have agreed to set up reception centers for refugees picked up by Italian Navy or Coast Guard ships in international waters, but within Italy's search and rescue zone.
The decision to establish the centers was made in November 2023 as part of an agreement between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Albanian counterpart Edi Rama. The agreement will last for five years and will cost 160 million euros per year.
According to the plan, refugees should stay in the reception centers while their asylum applications are being considered.
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The first center is located in the northern Albanian port city of Shenjin. According to Italian media, the construction of the first reception center and registration office in the port cost 65 million euros.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni describes the agreement as a “new and bold way” that can serve as a model for other EU countries and “can also be used with other non-EU countries.