Albania Welcomes First Migrants Under Italy's Controversial Deportation Deal

Albania has welcomed its first group of 16 migrants deported from Italy, as reported by El Pais. The Italian warship Libra docked at the port of Shengjin, and shortly thereafter, the migrants began disembarking, having been rescued in the Mediterranean on Monday.

These individuals will be the first to be housed in a new detention center constructed by Italy in Albania, following a controversial agreement made with the Albanian government in 2023. The press has been kept at a distance of 200 meters from the ship, according to El Pais.

Once the migrants arrive at the center located near the ship, they will undergo screening before submitting their asylum applications. A 48-hour timeframe will begin, during which a judge in Rome must decide whether to accept the requests and initiate proceedings or to reject them.