Albanian parl approves migrant deal with Italy

The parliament, largely controlled by prime minister Edi Rama's left-wing Socialist Party, voted 77 in favour and none against the deal, the parliament said in a press release.

The ratification removes the last obstacle for the controversial deal, following the approval by the Italian Senate last week.

According to the agreement signed in November between Rama and Italian premier Giorgia Meloni, one processing centre will be situated in Shengjin port, a prominent tourist spot on the Adriatic Sea, about 75 kilometres south of Albania's capital, Tirana, and another further inland. Migrants will either be allowed to enter Italy or undergo repatriation.

Under the five-year agreement, Albania will accommodate a maximum of 3,000 migrants simultaneously. The number of asylum-seekers sent to Albania could potentially reach up to 36,000 annually.

The agreement is part of Meloni's initiatives aimed at distributing the responsibility of managing migration among other European nations.

The deal has drawn criticism by opposition parties and human rights organisations, although it was endorsed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In November, the deal was challenged by members of the Albanian opposition to the constitutional court, but was cleared earlier in January.