Former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has proposed converting migrant centres in Albania, established under an Italian-Albanian agreement, into prisons for Albanian nationals convicted in Italy.
Visiting the Lezhë-based centres, Renzi described their intended function as a “failure”. He suggested an agreement with Albania to transform the Gjader and Shengjin facilities into prisons, enabling convicted Albanians to be closer to family.
“The Gjader and Shengjin centres should become prisons for Albanians serving sentences in Italy, via an agreement with the Albanian state,” Renzi stated.
The proposal follows reports of migrants transferred to Albania under the protocol being returned to Italy after Italian court decisions.
The Albania-Italy migration protocol, signed in November 2023 to process irregular migrants, has faced criticism. Ratified by Albania in February 2024, the Lezhë centres are managed by Italian authorities.
