"The Italy-Albania agreement is an important part of the government's overall strategy, in the international context of growing instability, which risks increasing migratory flows and the hated market of traffickers, a market that continues to profit from desperation and seek victims , as was the sinking of the ship in Lampedusa", declared today the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani in the Italian Parliament.
Tajani said that this agreement was not comparable to the one reached between Great Britain and Rwanda.
"The memorandum of understanding between the two countries is not comparable to the agreement between Great Britain and Rwanda. There is no outsourcing of the management of asylum requests to a third country, while there is no deviation from internationally guaranteed rights", Tajani emphasized.
He pointed out that Italy aims for "a different approach to the management of migratory flows and a persistent fight against human trafficking are the absolute priorities of our government".
"Preventing irregular departures, strengthening external borders, fighting smugglers, improving the repatriation system, expanding legal migration channels, welcoming those with the right to international protection: these are the main components of the new approach that we we are trying to establish in Europe ", the minister added and emphasized that " the cooperation protocol with Albania is included in this framework".
No more than 3 thousand immigrants at the same time
"Protocol " - explained Tajani - "determines that there cannot be more than 3,000 immigrants in total in both centers at the same time".
"Immigrants will be able to arrive at the Albanian port only with ships of the Italian authorities, involved in the rescue operations. It will not be possible to tow the smugglers' boats, nor to direct the boats managed by non-governmental organizations towards Albania. Immigrants will have exactly the same treatment provided by Italian and European regulations".
According to Tajani, Albania is a " friendly country and a candidate for membership in the European Union, a country that we will continue to support in its aspirations for membership in the European Union".
EU standards will be applied in the two centers in Albania
Albania - continued Tajani - will give Italy two areas free of charge - an arrival point at the port of Shengjin, on the northern coast of the country, and a military base in Gjadër, about 30 kilometers from the port.
"Both centers will operate according to Italian, European and international legislation on this matter. The procedures will be Italian and will be carried out exclusively by the Italian administrative and judicial authorities".
In the port - explained the minister - there will be a structure dedicated to rescue activities, first aid and the detection of signs and fingerprints.
"In the second structure, which is located in the inner area, requests for international protection will be examined and repatriation procedures will be carried out for those who do not meet the requirements."