Italy’s premier visits Albania as controversial plan to hold Italy-bound migrants nears its start

By VLASOV SULAJ and LLAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

SHENGJIN, Albania (AP) — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has traveled to Albania to thank its government for its unique and controversial role in agreeing to host thousands of asylum-seekers while Italy processes their claims. She also visited new migrant centers that she said will be ready in August and will be run by Italy. The visit comes days before European Parliament elections, in which migration has been a key issue. Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and Meloni last year signed a five-year deal to shelter each month up to 3,000 migrants rescued from international waters. Human rights groups warn that refugee protections could be compromised.