Report
Detention camps in Albania are ‘light containment’ for Meloni government
Democratic Party leader Schlein: ‘€800 million have been spent that we could have spent on healthcare. A violation of asylum seekers' rights and an enormous waste.’
“Next week we start with the centers in Albania,” said Interior Minister Piantedosi on Saturday, announcing the start of the operations to transfer the first migrants to the Gjader reception center, where some 400 people will be taken during the first phase.
Many have raised doubts about whether migrants will be able to assert their rights if they can only have remote contact with their lawyers, and the recent EU Court of Justice ruling that the designation of a safe country must extend to its entire territory and for everyone puts into serious question the list of supposed “safe countries” drawn up by Italy under an accelerated procedure for the purpose of repatriations.
But the Interior Ministry seems unbothered. On Saturday, Piantedosi insisted that the facilities in Albania are similar to those on Italian soil: “There is no barbed wire. They are light containment facilities. There is assistance available. Everyone can apply for international protection.” But some have raised fears that the “special” procedures will result in rushed repatriations.
A hotspot has been set up at the port of Schengjin exclusively for the identification of migrants rescued by Italian ships. After their information is collected, they will be transferred to Gjader, some 20 kilometers inland. Three facilities have been set up: a center for detaining asylum seekers (880 places), a Repatriation Center (144 places) and a penitentiary (20 places).
The facility is enclosed by a 5-meter-high fence surrounding prefab buildings where migrants will be housed, while those whose applications are rejected will be held in a second block, destined for repatriation.
There is controversy over the direct awarding of many of the contracts to build these facilities. PD secretary Schlein said: “€800 million have been spent that we could have spent on healthcare. A violation of asylum seekers' rights and an enormous waste.”
“They are detention camps for deportees. Who exactly has been given over €60 million in directly assigned contracts?” asked AVS.
Originally published at https://ilmanifesto.it/per-piantedosi-i-centri-in-albania-sono-come-quelli-italiani on 2024-10-13