After a series of confidential negotiations for some weeks, today the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Italian counterpart Geogia Meloni announced from Rome the signing of the cooperation protocol for the management of immigrants arriving from Africa on the shores of Italy.
The Prime Minister of Italy explained the role of Albania in this agreement, which turns our country from a country that exports emigration, to a country that processes immigrants on behalf of the neighboring country of Italy.
“A month ago, during a meeting, we talked about taking joint initiatives in terms of immigration issues. This phenomenon is not faced alone. We were in an equation to handle it from inside as well as outside the EU”, said Meloni.
In the port of Shengjin in the northwest of Albania, Italy will engage with the landing and selection procedures inthe reception center. While another structure will also be in the function of this first filtration center. “The Albanian part will deal with the control readiness. This agreement has a political and legal framework for our cooperation. We aim to put it into operation next spring”, said Meloni.
Prime Minister Edi Rama sees the agreement to provide this assistance as related to the obligation towards our neighboring country, from when it opened its doors in the 90s, welcoming thousands of Albanians.
“I do not believe that we will be able in the years to come to pay the debt we owe to Italy, the Italian people and the institutions of Italy, for what they have done for us from the first day we arrived on this side of seashore. It is up to us to respond when we can be of help, and in this case it means to help and to manage with a small contribution, a situation which is difficult for Italy”.
Prime Minister Edi Rama declared that this protocol is not a way out, a solution, but “something we do because we have to do it, at all costs, and we believe in it”.
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