(see related)
It may be possible for migrants to be
held for up to 18 months in Albania when an agreement Rome
signed with Tirana this week to run migrant centres in Albania
comes into force, Undersecretary for Implementation of the
Government's Programme Giovanbattista Fazzolari said on
Thursday.
"The maximum (detention) allowed by Italian law is 18 months,"
Fazzolari told Rai's Porta a Porta show.
"What happens in Albania is the same as in Italy.
"We have created accelerated procedures - in 28 days we are able
to respond to a request (for asylum).
"The people who are not entitled to it can then be detained for
up to 18 months while awaiting repatriation.
"This is the system that we could also apply in the (migrant)
centres in Albania.
"This will be established when we set the rules on implementing
the agreement".
The undersecretary said that, while the agreement has been
heavily criticised by opposition parties, it has gone down well
with the Italian public.
He also said that a parliamentary debate on the agreement may be
possible but it will not be necessary for parliament to ratify
it.
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