September 15th 2024.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom, has an upcoming meeting with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Monday. The Prime Minister has expressed his interest in Italy's successful migration policy, specifically the one that has been developed with Albania. This is a timely discussion as news has just emerged that a 10-month-old baby was rescued from the English Channel after a boat accident that killed eight people.
In regards to the upcoming talks, Starmer said, "We will be discussing irregular migration and other important matters. It was a key topic when I spoke with Chancellor Scholz and when I spoke with Emmanuel Macron." The UK Prime Minister also acknowledged Meloni's strong stance on the issue, stating, "I am looking forward to discussing her ideas."
When asked about the possibility of implementing a similar agreement with Albania like Italy's, Starmer replied, "Let's see. It is still early days and I am interested in understanding how it works, as I am sure many others are. We must remember that it is still in the very early stages."
So what exactly is Italy's migration deal with Albania? Last year, Prime Minister Meloni signed a deal with Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, which allows Albania to process asylum requests on behalf of Italy while the claims are being reviewed. The processing center, located at a nearby air base in Gjader, has a capacity of 3,000 people. However, only asylum seekers from countries deemed safe by Italy will be considered for this agreement. Meloni has also assured that vulnerable individuals, such as pregnant women and minors, will not be sent to Albania.
Meloni has stated that they will aim to process asylum requests within 28 days, a significantly shorter time frame compared to the months it currently takes in Italy. Those whose requests are accepted will be brought back to Italy, while those whose requests are rejected will be detained for eventual repatriation. It is expected that the majority of requests will be rejected due to the countries of origin being considered safe.
In comparison, what is Starmer's stance on migration? As one of his first moves in office, the Prime Minister scrapped the previous government's Rwanda scheme, which aimed to process asylum claims in Rwanda. Starmer has made it clear that this scheme is "dead and buried." He has also acknowledged the challenges in different countries when it comes to migration, but has not explicitly stated if offshore processing is being considered at this time. He did mention, however, his concern about the high number of boats being used for Channel crossings that come from Germany. He suggests that they should take further measures to prevent these journeys, and also discussed potential approaches with French President Emmanuel Macron.
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