Albania, Meloni visits the Shengjin centre: “Centres operational from 1 August”. Rama: “Mud from the Italian media”
Minister Piantedosi was also with the prime minister, to visit the structure that will welcome migrants arriving from Italy
ROME – “Seven months after the signing of the agreement, we are here to announce the completion of the first structure, the one in which we find ourselves in Shengjin, the structure in which we find ourselves will perform the typical functions of the first reception centres, i.e. the hotspots, which clearly also exist in Italy and are dedicated to migrants who are rescued and disembarked. Here, for example, health screening, identification, photo-signalling and the formalization of the application are carried out international protection”. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says this during joint statements with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. The Prime Minister arrived in Albania with Minister Piantedosi, to visit the facility in Shengjin, which will welcome migrants arriving from Italy. “At the port of Shengjin, only migrants rescued in waters will be able to disembark international ships by Italian shipswhile vulnerable subjects, i.e. minors, women, elderly and fragile people, will not be brought to Albania”, recalls Meloni, who explains how “the other structure, that of Gjader, which is nearing completion, will instead have three different purposes: it will be the structure where the accelerated border procedures will be carried out which must be completed in a maximum of 28 days and include the validation hearing, the examination of the application for international protection by the asylum commission which will take place remotely, the decision on any appeals”. “The migrants who can be subjected to the accelerated procedure will be those coming from the so-called safe countries of origin which has recently been expanded and which now also includes Bangladesh, Cameroon, Colombia, Egypt, Peru and Sri Lanka. The expansion therefore allows for an increase the audience of migrants who can be taken to Albania instead of Italy”, concludes Meloni.
MELONI: AGREEMENT WITH ALBANIA REPLICABLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES< /h3>
“If what we have imagined here works, and it will work, then we will have inaugurated a completely new phase in the management of the migration problem. The agreement could be replicable in many countries, it could become a solution , a part of the European Union’s structural solution,” Meloni explained. “We understand this and obviously the supporters of uncontrolled immigration also understand it and it is no coincidence that they focus a decisive and ferocious position on this project”.
MELONI: AGREEMENT WITH ALBANIA OF LARGE EUROPEAN SCOPE< /h3>
The agreement between Italy and Albania on migrants is “of great European scope” and has three objectives: “To combat trafficking in human beings, to prevent irregular immigration and to welcome those who are entitled to it into Europe. With this agreement, Albania has given the possibility of using some Albanian state-owned areas, in which Italy is building two structures where we will manage entry and temporary assistance”, explained Meloni.
MELONI: ALBANIA CENTERS OPERATIONAL FROM 1 AUGUST
For the Prime Minister “the complex of the two centers will be operational from August 1st 2024”.
“Clearly there are those who have raised objections about the timing and therefore the operation of the centers on which there would be a delay and clearly among these also several opposition parliamentarians… which is a bit curious because first they accuse us of wanting to create Guantanamo and then they complain about the construction times of Guantanamo…”, continues the Prime Minister, according to whom “the point is that clearly we want to do things well here also because if what we have imagined here will work, and it will work , then we will have inaugurated a completely new phase in the management of the migration problem”.
MELONI: SOLIDARITY WITH ALBANIA FOR THE DENIGRATORIOUS CAMPAIGN SUBITA< /h3>
The prime minister then returned to Report’s investigation: “I renew my solidarity and closeness to Rama for the attacks they have received in recent months when they decided to offer their collaboration to Italy” on the issue of migrants. “We have witnessed a smear campaign against Albania, defined as a sort of narco-state controlled by organized crime”.
RAMA: FROM ITALIAN MEDIA MUD ON AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO GOVERNMENTS
“I cannot fail to take this opportunity to express sadness over the many half-truths that have been said in the Italian media, including public service, about Albania, with the very clear intention of throwing mud at this country to attack the agreement between the two governments on cooperation in the fight against illegal immigration”, said Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, in the joint press conference with the Prime Minister. “All those who have transformed the democratic right to oppose this agreement into an abuse of the fourth estate, at the expense of Albania, the Albanians and the Italian public itself”, concludes Rama.
RAMA: ALBANIA IS LINKED TO ITALY IN INDISSOLUBLE WAY, THANKS GIORGIA
“I must thank Giorgia. Italy is a country to which we are inextricably linked for all the affection and good will she has put into accompanying Albania on the path to full European integration. Italy is always been the most important lawyer in Brussels”, added Rama. “We take it as a blessing to have the honor of being useful today. Here in Albania the color of the political forces has nothing to do with it. The Italian government has been, is and always will be a government to which we are bound by profound friendship and strategic alliance that we want to strengthen at every step. If the Italian government makes a mistake, we will participate in the mistake without any problem.”