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Italy will give Albania 16.5 million euros in advance for housing immigrants

2023-11-07 22:39:00, Aktualitet CNA

Italy will deposit 16.5 million euros in a special account of the Albanian Treasury, as an advance for housing up to 3,000 emigrants in Albania.

This is stated in the protocol published by the Albanian Government on November 7, one day after the two countries reached an agreement on the issue of immigrants.

The agreement foresees that the immigrants who will be caught in the Mediterranean Sea and sheltered in Albania and their shelter will be financed by the Italian state. The signing of the agreement caused many reactions in both countries, mainly due to the lack of transparency.

The document foresees that the advance payment of 16.5 million euros will be executed 90 days from the date of entry into force of the protocol. This money will be used to reimburse expenses for various services, the document said.

Also, the Italian side must open a current bank account exclusively for the guarantee fund in a second-tier bank.

This protocol will be in force for five years and may be renewed for another five years.

"Except for the cases when one of the parties communicates with a warning at least six months before the expiration date of its intention not to renew this protocol, the latter will be renewed in silent form for another five-year period," it is stated. in notice.

The entry of migrants into the territorial waters and the territory of Albania will be carried out exclusively by means of the competent Italian authorities.

"The competent Albanian authorities allow the entry and stay in the Albanian territory of immigrants sheltered in the structures with the sole purpose of carrying out the border or repatriation procedures, provided for by the Italian and European legislation and for the time strictly necessary for it", the document states. .

In the document published by the Albanian Government, it is underlined that the Italian authorities will bear all necessary expenses for the accommodation and treatment of immigrants, including food, health care and any other service that will be deemed necessary and taking care that this treatment respects basic human rights and freedoms, according to international law.

Italy, according to the agreement, will finance all hospital care services, but also equipment, such as vehicles and fuel as well as lawyers' fees. Meanwhile, Albania will provide facilities for Italian personnel who will work in Albania, who will be exempt from the need for visas, residence permits and other requirements required by Albanian migration legislation.

The agreement also foresees the obligations that Italy has in terms of providing security for the reception centers for immigrants, while Albania will provide security for immigrants during their transport outside these centers.

On Monday, the prime minister of Albania, Edi Rama, and the prime minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, signed in Rome the agreement to strengthen cooperation in the field of migration.

The migrants who will be rescued in the Mediterranean Sea will be sent to the port of Shengjin, where they will be checked and then they will be taken to the reception center in Gjadër, Lezha.

"Initially we are talking about a number of 3,000 people, while in a year the immigrant flow can reach up to 36,000 people. This agreement does not include minors, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups," Meloni said on November 6.

The implementation of the agreement is expected to start in the spring of next year. The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, has stated to the Italian media that there have been such requests from other countries of the European Union, but he has rejected them. He said that in the case of Italy, he feels a "debt" for what this country has done for Albanian immigrants.

Albania has previously sheltered thousands of Iranians and Afghans, some of whom are still in the special camps set up for them./ Rel