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Italy is facing a new phase in managing migration flows, with an initiative to transfer migrants to Albania.
The first group of migrants was embarked on the Navy ship Libra, headed to centers set up in Albania to subject migrants to accelerated border procedures. This initiative, organized by the Ministry of the Interior, represents an innovative attempt to ease the pressure on Italian reception centers, which have seen a significant increase in arrivals in recent months.
The transfer of migrants to Albania
The transfer of migrants to Albania began with the departure of the Libra ship, on board which an initial screening was carried out to verify that the people rescued at sea met the required criteria. Among the established requirements are that they come from countries considered safe, that they are adult males and that they do not belong to vulnerable categories.
The initiative is part of a broader strategy aimed at managing migratory flows towards Europe in a more efficient and sustainable way. Albania, which has expressed its willingness to welcome migrants, has set up special centres in the towns of Schengjin and Gjiader, which became operational last week. In these centres, migrants will undergo identification procedures and evaluation of their asylum request quickly, thus helping to streamline the overall process.
In this context, the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, underlined the importance of Italy’s commitment to reception and social cohesion. Speaking from Milan during an event of the “Centro Orientamento Immigrati – Fondazione Franco Verga”, Mattarella reiterated that reception must be seen as a permanent, not episodic, activity and referred to the long Italian tradition of solidarity and integration.
“The commitment to social cohesion, hospitality, progress, integration, the development of citizenship, is a permanent activity”, the President stated, underlining that immigration, even if with new protagonists, remains a central phenomenon in the construction of the Italian social fabric. Mattarella recalled how today’s migratory flows are different from those of the past, no longer characterized by a strong internal migration from the South to the northern regions, but fueled by arrivals from further away, including European countries such as Ukraine, affected by war, and the Balkans, as well as numerous migrants from other continents where living conditions are unsustainable.
A new approach for a complex challenge
The initiative to transfer migrants to Albania reflects the complexity of the migration phenomenon that Italy and Europe are facing. In recent years, managing migration flows has been a considerable challenge for Italian and European authorities, with thousands of people crossing the Mediterranean in search of a better life. Southern European countries, such as Italy, Greece and Spain, have often been left to manage the majority of arrivals, with consequent logistical, political and social difficulties.
The transfer of migrants to Albania could represent a new model of collaboration between European and non-European countries, with the aim of redistributing responsibilities and easing the pressure on the countries of first arrival. However, many questions remain open on how this model will work in the long term and what the implications will be for the rights of migrants and asylum seekers.
Humanitarian and legal implications
One of the most delicate aspects of this new initiative is the respect for human rights and international conventions regulating asylum and refugee protection. International organizations and NGOs have often raised concerns about measures that could result in people being sent back to third countries where adequate standards of protection are not guaranteed. Although Albania is a candidate for accession to the European Union and therefore subject to increasingly European standards, it remains to be seen how migrants will be managed in the reception centers set up on its territory.
The accelerated border procedures, foreseen for those who will be transferred to Albania, must ensure that every migrant has access to a fair and transparent process to submit their asylum application. While this system aims to speed up decisions, it must also ensure that no one is deprived of the right to seek protection or sent back to dangerous situations.
Immigration as an opportunity and challenge for Italy
Italy, historically a land of emigrants, is now managing a migratory phenomenon of the opposite sign, with the arrival of thousands of people every year. The challenge of immigration does not only concern immediate reception, but also the long-term integration of those who remain in the country. President Mattarella’s words highlight how the presence of migrants can represent an opportunity for Italian society, enriching the social and cultural fabric, if managed with far-sighted policies that promote inclusion and peaceful coexistence.
At a time in history in which geopolitical crises continue to push millions of people to leave their homes, it is essential that Italy and Europe find sustainable and human rights-respectful solutions to manage migratory flows. The initiative to transfer migrants to Albania represents a step in this direction, but it will be essential to monitor its implementation to ensure that the objectives of solidarity and reception are actually pursued.
Alessandro Fiorentino