(16 Oct 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Shengjin, Albanian – 16 October 2024
1. Journalists covering the arrival of the migrants at the port of Shengjin
2. Poster of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni wearing police uniforms
3. Various of activists holding a banner reading “THE EUROPEAN DREAM ENDS HERE"
5. SOUNDBITE (Albanian) Edison Lika, activist:
“In fact, it is not the first time we have protested against such a deal. We have opposed such a deal since the moment we knew about it. First, because of the way we learnt about it, from the Italian media. Second, this deal is against human rights, more concretely it’s about the migrants’ rights. Such a deal has been not democratic because the peoples of both countries have not been asked. And in our opinion such a deal is unconstitutional because such an agreement dealing with the territory can be done only by the president of the republic.”
6. Various of journalists and protestors
STORYLINE:
Activists protested on Wednesday as the first Italian ship carrying migrants intercepted in international waters arrived in Albania.
A group of about two dozen activists to gathered at the entrance of the port of Shengjin, one of the two centers Italy has opened in Albania, holding a banner writing “The European dream ends here.”
"It is not the first time we have protested against such a deal. We have opposed such a deal since the moment we knew about it," said Edison Lika, one of the protesters who turned out to demonstrate for migrants’ rights.
An Italian navy ship on Wednesday docked at the Albanian port of Shengjin to bring the first group of 16 male migrants — 10 from Bangladesh and six from Egypt — who were rescued at sea after departing from Libya, a ministry spokesman said.
Last week Italy formally opened two centers in Albania where it plans to process thousands of asylum-seekers outside its borders.
The centers will only house adult men, while vulnerable people such as women, children, the elderly and those who are ill or victims of torture will be accommodated in Italy. Families will not be separated.
The number of people reaching Italy along the central Mediterranean migration route from North Africa has fallen by 61% in 2024 from 2023. According to the Italian Interior Ministry, as of Oct. 15, 54,129 migrants have arrived in Italy by sea this year, compared to 138,947 by the same date last year.
Under a five-year deal signed last November by Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and her Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama, up to 3,000 migrants picked up by the Italian coast guard in international waters each month will be sheltered in Albania. They will be screened initially on board the ships that rescue them before being sent to Albania for further screening.
The two centers are run by Italy and are under Italian jurisdiction, while Albanian guards provide external security.
The first center, an area in Shengjin, 66 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of the capital, Tirana, is used for screening newcomers. While the other center, about 22 kilometers (14 miles) to its east near the former military airport in Gjader, accommodates migrants during the processing of their asylum requests.
Italy has agreed to welcome those who are granted asylum. Those whose applications are rejected face deportation directly from Albania.
The controversial agreement to outsource the housing of asylum-seekers to a non-EU member country has been hailed by some countries that, like Italy, are suffering a heavy burden of refugees.
AP Video shot by Erion Xhabafti
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