The two Italian, closed centers for the identification and stay of asylum seekers in Albaniaare almost ready to open, five months behind schedule.

In these two centers of northern Albania, in Shenzhen and Giarder, will be transferred, possibly from next week, asylum seekers who are rescued and collected by the Italian navy, in international territorial waters. From Lampedusa, they will board special ships chartered by the Italian government, bound for the Albanian coast.

Without… electricity, water, telephone?

The first is essentially an identification center, while in the second, closed center, the rescued will have to wait for their request to be considered. Within twenty-eight days, at least in accordance with the provisions of the relevant law. In reality, of course, despite the official announcements, the water and electricity supply projects have not yet been completed.

It is about the Italo-Albanian cooperation protocol which caused a series of severe criticisms. Dozens of humanitarian organizations, starting with Amnesty International, emphasize that this initiative violates international treaties regarding the rescue and transfer of migrants and refugees to safe places, and that it does not provide asylum seekers with basic guarantees to be able to defend their rights .

Criticism also from Catholic bishops

Bishops of the Catholic Church, on the other hand, added that instead of spending huge sums on the “export of immigrants”, it would be good to increase the funds for the integration of those who are already in the Italy.

The total cost to build these two infrastructures in Albania reached sixty-five million euros, while the annual costs for their management are expected to reach one hundred and twenty million euros.

Georgia Meloni’s government is responding to the criticism, saying the transfer of asylum seekers will be overseen by staff from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “In this way, a strong message will be sent to the traffickers operating in the Mediterranean”, is the position of the government of Rome.

What are “safe countries”?

Many analysts, however, remind that Italy considers “safe countries” of origin of immigrants and refugees, African states in which human rights are systematically violated. And that usually, when someone comes from a supposedly “safe country” and asks for asylum, their application is rejected by the Italian authorities.