Albanian Court Approves Controversial Migration Deal with Italy

Italian Government to Build Asylum Processing Centres in Albania

Albania's constitutional court has approved a controversial agreement to send asylum seekers in Italy to Albania.
The Italian government will build two centres in northern Albania to process 36,000 people hoping to reach Italy each year.
The deal will now have to be ratified by the Albanian parliament where it is likely to pass easily as Prime Minister Edi Rama holds an unassailable majority.
Under the agreement, some 3,000 people a month who attempt to reach Italy by sea would be detained in two processing centres near the Albanian north-eastern port of Shengjin while their asylum claims are examined.
The centres would be paid for by the Italian government and would be operated under Italian law. Italian staff would be responsible for operations and would have immunity from Albanian law in certain cases.