An Italian navy ship docked in Albania carrying the first group of migrants whose asylum requests are to be processed at new reception centres outside the EU.
Media reports said this on Wednesday morning.
The 16 men from Egypt and Bangladesh were Europe-bound when they were intercepted by Italian authorities on the open sea as they crossed the central Mediterranean.
As part of a controversial new scheme, they are now being transported to Italian-run asylum centres in Albania until their applications are processed.
Italian news agency ANSA and Albanian broadcaster Klan published images showed the Italian navy vessel arriving in the port of Shëngjin.
It is where the migrants were set to undergo an initial check before being transferred to the main camp in nearby Gjadër.
There was initially no official confirmation of the group’s arrival. (dpa/NAN)
