An Italian navy ship recently arrived at the Albanian port of Shengjin, carrying the first group of 16 migrants rescued in international waters for processing. The migrants, consisting of 10 individuals from Bangladesh and six from Egypt, were intercepted at sea after departing from Libya. Italy has established two centers in Albania to process asylum-seekers, with the centers exclusively accommodating adult men while vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, and those with health issues or victims of torture will be housed in Italy without separating families.
The centers, initially delayed due to soil consolidation, are now operational. The Gjader center, with a capacity for 3,000 migrants, will start with 400 occupants and gradually increase to 880. The number of migrants arriving in Italy via the central Mediterranean route has decreased by 61% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
