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LEZHE, ALBANIA - APR. 11: A group of 40 irregular migrants expelled by Italy arrived in Lezhe, Albania on Friday, April 11, where they will be placed in migrant centers established under a bilateral agreement between the two countries.The Italian Navy patrol vessel Libra transported the migrants to the port of Shengjin, located in northwestern Albania.The group, which includes individuals from Tunisia, Egypt, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Pakistan, Algeria, Georgia, and Moldova, was received at the first intake center established in the port area.Following initial registration and medical checks, the migrants will be transferred to a facility in the Gjader region for further procedures and processing.The transfer is part of a new decree-law issued by the Italian government on March 28, which expands the use of the Albanian facilities to include migrants already within Italy’s borders.The two centers, located in the northwestern Albanian towns of Shengjin and Gjader, were originally created to process adult, healthy male migrants rescued at sea by Italian authorities.They were inaugurated in October 2024, but remained largely inactive due to legal challenges and court rulings that led to the return of previously transferred groups.Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi defended the move, saying the country is exploring new ways to manage migration. He expressed confidence in upcoming European Court of Justice rulings related to the policy.The agreement between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, signed in November 2023, was the first of its kind allowing an EU member state to send migrants to a non-EU country for processing.(Footage by Ergys Kavaja/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)