Italy’s upper chamber gives final OK to deal with Albania to house migrants during asylum process

ROME (AP) — The Italian Senate has given final approval to an agreement with Albania to house migrants during the processing of their asylum requests. The bill was previously passed by the lower Chamber of Deputies. The proposal now awaits consideration by the Albanian parliament, after the country’s Constitutional Court gave it the go-ahead last month. Under the five-year deal, Albania would shelter up to 3,000 migrants at a time in two centers while Italy fast-tracks their asylum requests. The right-wing government of Premier Giorgia Meloni has hailed the agreement as a sign of European solidarity, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has endorsed it. But human rights groups have expressed concern that Italy is outsourcing its international obligations.