The "innovative" migrant agreement the
Italian government signed with Tirana this week is based on the
idea of detaining asylum seekers from so-called safe countries
of origin for the duration of the asylum procedure in order to
facilitate their repatriation in the event of a negative
outcome, in line with provisions introduced in a recent law on
migration, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said on
Wednesday.
"The hypothesis is to create a detention facility for asylum
seekers from safe countries" and it is "the result of
cooperation with a friendly and brotherly country, as the
Albanian premier Rama has said himself," said Piantedosi.
"I understand that innovative things often create discussion,
but you will see that everything will be arranged according to a
logic that we announced some time ago and on which we have been
working. It is part of the overall plan," added the minister
referring to the Cutro migrant law approved by parliament in
May, which introduced the possibility for asylum seekers from
so-called safe countries of origin to be detailed in border
areas for the duration of an accelerated asylum procedure and
with the authorisation of a judge.
One such facility is already operating in Pozzallo.
Piantedosi also confirmed that jurisdiction for the centres in
Albania would be Italian bit without giving details of how this
would be enforced.
"This will be seen in the implementation of the agreement that
was signed in the first place," he said.
Italy currently considers 16 countries or origin to be safe:
Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Erzegovina, Cape Verde, Ivory
Coast, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Morocco,
Montenegro, Nigeria, Senegal, Serbia and Tunisia.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
