Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has stated that Italy has become a model in the management of illegal migration in the European Union, thanks to a new approach that includes cooperation with countries outside the EU, such as Albania. Speaking in the Italian Senate ahead of the October 17-18 European Council, Meloni highlighted a 60% drop in irregular migrant landings in 2024, compared to the previous year.

According to the Italian prime minister, a key element of this strategy has been the Italy-Albania Protocol, which provides for the processing of asylum requests in Albanian territory, but under Italian and European jurisdiction. The two centers created in Shengjin and Gjadër are already operational, helping to implement this protocol. Meloni thanked the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and his government for the cooperation, stressing that this is a new, bold and effective path in dealing with migration.

“This new approach reflects the European spirit and has all the credentials to be followed by other countries outside the EU. I thank Prime Minister Rama and the Albanian government for believing in this initiative,” Meloni said, adding that it is an important step to fight traffickers and prevent tragedies at sea.

This cooperation between Italy and Albania constitutes a model for the management of migratory flows and is contributing to the improvement of the situation throughout the Mediterranean, Meloni underlined.

She also added that there will be informal meetings of EU countries to discuss the major effects of migration, to further improve this common approach.