Migrant detention facilities nearly built in Albania in controversial deal with Italy
The construction of two Italian migrant detention centres in Albania is underway with the facilities expected to open at the beginning of August.
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00:00The construction of two Italian migrant detention centres in Albania is underway,
00:05with facilities expected to open at the beginning of August.
00:09Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama signed a deal
00:15where Albania agreed to shelter migrants while Italy processes their asylum claims.
00:20Meloni has defended the controversial plan, saying it is necessary as part of her policy
00:26to crack down on migration and deter prospective refugees
00:31from making the dangerous Mediterranean crossing.
00:34The deal was described as outside EU law by former European Commissioner Ylva Johansson.
00:40Italian opposition lawmakers also decried the plan as too expensive,
00:44with it expected to cost over 600 million euro within five years.
00:49Over half of the EU member states have signed a document
00:52asking the European Commission to move in this direction.
00:56Albania could receive up to 36,000 asylum seekers each year.