Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister
Antonio Tajani on Wednesday dismissed assertions that the
agreement the Italian government signed with Tirana this week to
set up centres in Albania to manage migrants is unlawful.
"The agreement signed with the Albanian State complies with all
EU laws," Tajani told reporters at the end of a G7 Foreign
Ministers' meeting in Tokyo.
"It is very different to other agreements that have been reached
by other countries.
"It aims to... make sure that people who have not complied with
the rules and do not have the right to enter Italy can be taken
back to their countries of origin."
The European Commission has said it has requested more
information about the details of the agreement.
On Tuesday Democratic Party (PD) leader Elly Schlein said that
the agreement "seems in open breach of international and
European law".
The Italian section of Amnesty International has said that the
deal was "illegal and unviable.
"People who are rescued at sea by the Italian authorities,
including those seeking refuge in Europe, are under Italian
jurisdiction and cannot be transferred to another State before
their asylum requests and individual situations are examined,"
Amnesty said.
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