ROME  –  The first 16 migrants rescued at sea while trying to reach Europe by way of Italy arrived at the Albanian port of Shengjin on Wednesday aboard an Italian navy vessel, marking an extraordinary change in the handling of Mediterranean migration.

The men – 10 Bangladeshi nationals and six Egyptians – were rescued on Sunday from various migrant vessels that left Libya days earlier, according to Italy’s Coast Guard.

Egypt and Bangladesh are among 22 countries deemed “safe” by Italy, a designation that prevents their nationals from qualifying for political asylum, with few exceptions. Under the protocol signed between Italy and Albania last year, those sent to Albania must not show signs of torture, illness or vulnerability or be part of nuclear families traveling together. Those brought directly to Italy instead would fall under EU regulations, which involve a lengthy asylum process.

The men were vetted on the Italian Coast Guard vessel and then transferred to an Italian Navy vessel, which turned them over to Italian authorities in Albania.

There, they will be guided through an expedited asylum application that will take less than a month, in sharp contrast to the long process in Italy, according to the plans laid out by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. An Italian judge will hear each case via video link, and immigration lawyers will be provided in Albania. If they are denied asylum in Italy, they will then be deported back to their countries of origin at Italy’s expense.

The Albanian off-shoring scheme was designed as a deterrent for those trying to reach Europe, according to Meloni, who signed the bilateral protocol with her Albanian counterpart last November. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, will have permanent monitors at the centers for the first three months of the scheme to ensure there are no inconsistencies with international and regional human rights standards, Filippo Ungaro, UNHCR’s Italy spokesperson, told CNN Tuesday.

“UNHCR, which was not part of the original negotiation or language in the Italy-Albania protocol, has agreed to carry out this monitoring role in order to help ensure that the protocol is implemented in a manner that safeguards the rights and dignity of asylum-seekers,” he said. (CNN)

Photo: The first group to arrive at the processing centers comprised men from Egypt and Bangladesh, which are among 22 countries deemed “safe” by Italy. (Reuters) …[+]