BBC: The Albanian court gives the "green light" to the agreement with Italy

2024-01-29 21:44:00, Aktualitet CNA

BBC: The Albanian court gives the "green light" to the agreement with

The BBC has devoted an article to the decision of the Constitutional Court, which approved the agreement for immigrants between Albania and Italy.

The BBC article states that according to the agreement, the Italian government will build two camps in northern Albania to house 36,000 people.

The agreement will have to be ratified by the Albanian parliament and is likely to pass easily as Prime Minister Edi Rama has an undisputed majority.

Under the agreement, around 3,000 people a month trying to reach Italy by sea will be detained in two refugee camps in Shengjin while their asylum claims are processed.

The BBC writes that the camps will be paid for by the Italian government and will operate under Italian law. Italian staff will be responsible for operations and will have immunity from Albanian law in some cases.

Once the migrants' asylum claims have been assessed, Italy will be responsible for either relocating them from the camps to Italy or deporting them. Security personnel and police officers will be provided by Albania.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Mr Rama presented the agreement for the first time in Rome in November.

Soon after, the agreement was temporarily blocked after the Albanian opposition presented two petitions arguing that the agreement would deny asylum seekers the protection of the constitution and international law.

But on Monday, Constitutional Court judges ruled that the agreement was not unconstitutional. They said that the agreement "does not create new constitutional rights and freedoms, nor does it introduce additional restrictions on existing human rights and freedoms, beyond those provided by the Albanian legal order".

The judges also rejected claims that the agreement to set up asylum facilities would give Italy sovereignty over Albanian territory, ruling that the agreement "does not define territorial boundaries and does not change the territorial integrity of the Republic of Albania."

Last week, Italian MPs voted in favor of the deal, which was supported by 155 votes to 115.

It will now go to the Italian Senate, where its approval is expected.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, told the Italian Senate last week that he was concerned that transfers of asylum seekers to Albania would "raise important human rights issues", including conditions livelihood and freedom from arbitrary detention.

It's unclear when the camps might open, but spring 2024 is the tentative date given when the plan was first announced./ CNA