Italian ship with eight immigrants arrived in Albania

This is the second time Italy has sent immigrants to Albania since the two waiting centres started working in October, under an agreement between the two countries.

Italy first sent a group of 16 immigrants from Bangladesh and Egypt to Albania last month. Four of them returned to Italy on the same day because they were minors or had health problems.

The other 12 were sent back three days later, after a court in Rome ordered that they not be held in Albania because their countries of origin, Bangladesh and Egypt, were not safe places.

An Italian Navy ship has arrived Friday morning at the port of Shengjin, bringing eight immigrants caught in international waters to Albania who will be held at waiting centres during reviewing their asylum requirements.

This is the second time Italy has sent immigrants to Albania since the two waiting centres started working in October, under an agreement between the two countries.

Italy first sent a group of 16 immigrants from Bangladesh and Egypt to Albania last month. Four of them returned to Italy on the same day because they were minors or had health problems.

The other 12 were sent back three days later, after a court in Rome ordered that they not be held in Albania because their countries of origin, Bangladesh and Egypt, were not safe places.

Enraged by this decision, Melon decided to update legal status on the list of safe countries, making it a legal act rather than a ministry decree, believing it would make it more difficult for courts to challenge his validity.

The Italian naval ship é Libraú was docked at the Port of Shengini around 8:00 p.m. on Friday, and immigrants settled in the host centre, where they will undergo verification and medical examination before being sent to the Gydri camp.

This ship, which could carry up to 200 people besides the crew, set sail from Lampedusa Island on Wednesday with only eight immigrants aboard, according to Italian media.

Italy's Interior Ministry spokesman Francesco Kamel had confirmed the ship's departure to Albania, but had not provided more details. He had not indicated when the ship would arrive, nor how many people it was carrying.

Italian media reported that of the 1,200 immigrants who arrived on Lampedusa Island over the past two days, only eight adults who travelled without their families met Albania's criteria, including the fact that they come from countries deemed safe for repatriation.

Albania and Italy reached agreement last November on housing migrants.

The agreement, which has been criticised by human rights organisations, envisions that Albania will accept up to 36,000 migrants per year, and the asylum applications of these migrants will be processed in two centres in Albania.

The five-year deal is said to cost Italy 160m euros annually.

Under the deal, procedures for migrants will be conducted at two centres.

The first centre in Stryjin will be used for refugee identification procedures, while the second centre, in Gjader, about 20 kilometers from the port, will break down for housing migrants until asylum requirements are processed.

The centres will operate under Italian law, with Italian security staff, while judges will hold hearings through video connection from Rome.

Italy has said it will accept housing migrants who gain asylum. Meanwhile, those who do not win asylum will be expelled directly from Albania. / REL