(16 Oct 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Shengjin, Albania – 16 October 2024
1. Wide of “Libra” boat carrying migrants
2. Migrants after disembarking boat
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Llazar Semini, The Associated Press:
"The first 16 male migrants from Bangladesh and Egypt seized in international waters by the Italian government ships have been brought to Albania. They’ll be first screened here at the Port of Shengjin, one of the two centres that Italy has opened in Albania. Then they will be taken to Gjader where they will get accommodated and wait for the Italian authorities to process their requests. If granted asylum, they will be taken to Italy. If not, they will be deported straight from Albania."
4. Wide of boat
5. Italian and EU flag
6. Italian carabinieri walking
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Llazar Semini, The Associated Press:
"Under the five year deal signed in November last year by the Italian premier, Giorgia Meloni, and the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, up to 3,000 male migrants will be processed in Albania each month."
8. Workers on deck of ship
9. Migrants entering the processing centre at the port of Shengjin
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Llazar Semini, The Associated Press:
"Such a controversial deal of outsourcing the asylum seekers to non-EU member countries has been hailed by countries who like Italy, have faced the same challenges of high migration levels. But it has been criticised by human rights organisations considering it a dangerous precedent."
11. Drone shot of processing centre ++MUTE++
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Llazar Semini, The Associated Press:
"Rama has said that he has rejected many requests from other countries, but for Italy, he said, there is a special feeling of gratitude for what it has done for tens of thousands of Albanians who crossed the sea in 1991 after the collapse of the communist regime or its support during the 1997 financial crisis and the 2019 earthquake."
13. Wide of port
14. Various of boat, people on deck
STORYLINE:
An Italian navy ship on Wednesday docked at the Albanian port of Shengjin to bring the first group of 16 migrants intercepted in international waters.
The naval ship, Libra, left the port of Lampedusa on Monday with 16 men — 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 centres in Albania where it plans to process thousands of asylum-seekers outside its borders.
The centres 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.
Italian Ambassador to Albania Fabrizio Bucci said Friday the two centres were ready to process migrants after the opening was delayed for months to consolidate the crumbling soil at one centre, in Gjader where they will be accommodated.
Though the centre in Gjader has capacity for 3,000 migrants, it will start with 400 and increase to 880 in a few weeks.
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.
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