Italy's Innovative Approach: EU Migrant Processing in Albania

An Italian navy ship docked in Albania to manage migrant processing abroad after legal challenges. Italy has set up reception centers in Albania, marking the first EU effort to shift migrants to a non-EU nation. Earlier attempts faced legal obstacles following a ruling on migrants' safety status.

An Italian navy ship carrying a small group of migrants arrived at an Albanian port on Friday, part of Italy's plan to process asylum seekers outside the EU. The vessel docked before 8 a.m. local time, with only eight migrants on board, according to a Reuters correspondent.

This initiative marks Italy as the first EU nation to divert migrants to a non-EU country, establishing two reception centers in Albania. These facilities, managed by Italian staff, were designed to host no more than 3,000 asylum seekers at any given time under an agreement with Tirana.

However, Italy's efforts encountered legal setbacks. An initial group of 16 migrants was returned to Italy after a court ruling raised concerns about their legal status in Albania. The incident has prompted Italy to potentially focus on migrants from Tunisia, considered more stable by Italian authorities, amid ongoing legal scrutiny over the designation of 'safe' countries.

(With inputs from agencies.)