The controversial deal, in which the Western Balkan country will host thousands of asylum seekers on Italy’s behalf, is expected to last for five years and provides shelter to up to 3,000 migrants picked up by the Italian Coast Guard in international waters each month.
ADVERTISEMENTSpeaking during a visit to Albania in June, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the two centres designed to shelter the migrants would be ready to host the first 1,000 people by 1 August.
But with just days to go, intensive construction is still underway in one of them, casting doubt on whether it will be entirely ready in time.
Neither Italy nor Albania have indicated when the first migrants will likely arrive.
The controversial deal, in which the Western Balkan country will host thousands of asylum seekers on Italy’s behalf, is expected to last for five years and provides shelter to up to 3,000 migrants picked up by the Italian Coast Guard in international waters each month.
It was signed by Meloni and her Albanian counterpart Edi Rama last November.
They will initially be screened on board ships that rescue them at sea before being sent to Albania for additional screening.
The centres will only house adult men, according to Italy’s ambassador to Albania, Fabrizio Bucci.
People deemed to be vulnerable — women, children, the elderly and those who are ill or victims of torture — will be accommodated in Italy.
Families will also not be separated, the ambassador said. Those who are sent to Albania will retain their right under international and European Union law to apply for asylum in Italy and have their claims processed there.
With each claim taking around a month to process, the number of people sent to Albania could reach 36,000 in a year.
'Costly, cruel, counterproductive'
The agreement has been slammed by human rights groups as setting a dangerous precedent.
Earlier this year, the International Rescue Committee described the deal as “costly, cruel and counterproductive” and recently, it urged the EU and its member states not to use "this dangerous model as a blueprint".
The two centres in Albania will cost Italy €670 million over five years.
The cost of taking 36,000 migrants to Italy is €136m, almost the same as the amount to be spent in Albania, according to Meloni.
The facilities will be fully run by Italy and both centres are under Italian jurisdiction, while Albanian guards will provide external security.
ADVERTISEMENTMeloni and her right-wing allies have long demanded European countries share more of the migration burden.
She claimed that the Albania agreement was an innovative solution to a problem that has vexed the EU for years despite it clashing with international conventions.