Italy-Albania Protocol: duration will depend on decisions from Rome
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama recently confirmed that the memorandum of understanding between Italy and Albania, regarding the management of migrant centers on Albanian territory, will remain in force for as long as necessary according to the wishes of the Italian government. The agreement, which provides for the creation of facilities managed by Italy for processing asylum applications, is a central point of Italy's migration strategy.
According to what Rama stated, Albania is ready to maintain the commitment made as long as Italy deems the collaboration useful. This protocol represents a significant novelty in the policies for managing migratory flows in the Mediterranean, shifting part of the bureaucratic and reception procedures outside of Italy's national borders.
The facilities in Albania are designed to host migrants rescued at sea by Italian ships, allowing authorities to carry out identification procedures and the examination of international protection applications in a controlled context. The Italian government has emphasized that the main objective is to speed up repatriation procedures for those who are not entitled to asylum and to manage arrivals more efficiently.
Despite the ongoing political debate, the Albanian authorities have reiterated their willingness to support Italy in this project. The duration of the agreement therefore remains linked to the future decisions of the Italian government, which will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the centers over the coming months.