An Italian naval ship docked at the Albanian port of Shengjin on Wednesday, marking the beginning of Italy's highly controversial plan to bring some rescued refugees directly to the non-EU country.

"It is a new, courageous, unprecedented path, but one that perfectly reflects the European spirit and has everything it takes to be followed also with other non-EU nations," said Italy's far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The Libra was carrying 16 men who had been rescued at sea after departing Libya, Italian officials said. Ten were from Bangladesh, and six were from Egypt.

Italy has committed to spending €670 million ($730 million) on two migrant processing centers in Albania over the next five years. 

Rome said that only men from countries considered safe would be taken to Albania, and that they would have to be classified as "non-vulnerable," that is, healthy and not showing signs of having experienced physical violence.

The refugees retain their right to apply for asylum, and anyone granted asylum is to be returned to Italian shores. 

Steep decline in Mediterranean crossings

Under the deal signed by Meloni and her Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama, the two Albanian centers will be able to process up to 3,000 migrants in total.

Rama stressed that the deal was done out of good will toward Rome for the tens of thousands of Albanians who were welcomed by Italy when communism fell in 1991. He said he would not sign similar deals with any other country.

Rights groups have slammed the plan as setting a dangerous precedent, but European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed it as "outside-of-the-box" thinking with regards to irregular migration.

The number of refugees heading to Italy from North Africa has plummeted by 61% in 2024 compared to 2023. According to the Italian Interior Ministry, 138,947 had attempted the crossing by October 15 last year, compared to 54,129 this year.

es/ab (AFP, AP)