European Commission President Ursula
von der Leyen has confirmed the value of Italy's controversial
new migrant processing centres in Albania and some 15 countries
are interested in the project, Interior Minister Matteo
Piantedosi told the House Wednesday.
"On the protocol signed with Albania, the attention given to the
project by 15 European countries and by the European Union
itself is the greatest proof of the experimental and innovative
value of an initiative that aims to combat illegal immigration
without affecting the guarantees of fundamental rights of
people," he said at question time.
"The letter from President von der Leyen addressed to the heads
of state and government in view of the upcoming European
Council, is further confirmation of this".
The German EC chief lauded the project in her letter ahead of
the summit Tuesday and said it might prove to be a model other
countries might imitate.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has said the project, agreed with
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, will deter migrants from
setting off for Italy and Europe.
Critics have said it unacceptably externalises the migrant issue
and sets up a new Guantanamo, as well as being excessively
expensive.
The Libra navy ship that delivered the first 16 Bangladeshi and
Egyptian migrants to Albania early Wednesday has a crew of 64.
Italian media have said the money spent on the op could have
funded three-week Caribbean cruises for each migrant.
When up to speed, the new system will be able to process 3,000
migrants a year, Meloni says - a risibly low proportion, critics
say.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who binned the previous
Conservative government's scheme to take migrants to Rwanda, and
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp have been among the
foreign officials who have voiced interest in the project.
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