The camp for migrants that will be set up in Gjadër and Shëngjin in Lezha, part of the Albania-Italy agreement, will not be ready until November 10. Although the first announcements of the Italian and Albanian governments spoke of the opening on May 20, the Italian newspaper “La Republica” writes, citing the Italian Ministry of Defense, that the camp will open at the end of 2024.
Also earlier, the budget for the construction of centers for the reception, management and holding of migrants in Shëngjin and Gjadër would cost 654 million euros, but according to an article in “La Repubblica” the cost risks going up to 1 billion euros for 5 years.
In the port of Shëngjin and in the former military base of Gjadër, the works are in the first steps and it is impossible that the centers will be ready by May, where it will take months for them to be ready to receive the migrants who will be transferred there until the response to requests for asylum from the Italian authorities.
The agreement between Albania and Italy for migrants was signed in Rome on November 6, 2023 by Prime Minister Edi Rama and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, while it was ratified in the parliament of both countries.
The agreement has a 5-year term, where migrants who try to enter Italy will be brought to Albania, pending the approval of the asylum request or their deportation to the homeland.
Only men from countries considered safe will come to the camps set up in Albania, while minors, women and the elderly will be sent to Italy.