Italian prison officers' unions have protested the deployment of 50 correctional officers to Albania to guard new migrant holding facilities, stating that they are being "sent on a mission with rules that were not shared."
On August 31, two organizations representing Italy's penitentiary police -- the Italian Autonomous Confederation of Penitentiary Police and the Officers' Union Coordination -- released a statement expressing that their members were "stunned by the report of a measure" in which the government decided to send around 50 penitentiary police units of various roles and qualifications to Albania. This deployment is part of an international mission under an agreement between the leaders of Italy and Albania, involving controversial rules of engagement that have not been discussed with the unions.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Albanian counterpart Edi Rama have signed an agreement to build two migrant hosting facilities in Albania for the detention of migrants who attempt to reach Italy by sea while their asylum claims are examined.
The centers, which are slated to open this month, are to be paid for by the Italian cabinet.
Also read: What is the Italy-Albania deal on migration?
Difficulties experienced by penitentiary police in Italy
The mission occurs "when Italy is registering a population of over 62,000 detainees against a capacity of 44,000 beds and a police corps lacking 20,000 officers, with 10,700 wounded officers and many riots, protest attempts, hundreds of episodes of self-harm and the suicides of 67 detainees and seven police officers," the statement said.
The two unions added that "what appears to be taking shape in Albania is a facility that disturbingly reminds us of prison camps."
"And now there is talk of sending the green berets", members of an anti-terror finance police unit, "to patrol this complex," they noted.
Also read: Italy-Albania accord 'waste of money', says CEI
The agreement between Italy and Albania
The agreement between Rome and Tirana, signed on November 6 last year, is based on an old cooperation treaty between the two countries and provides for the construction of two repatriation centers for migrants -- managed and controlled by Italy on Albanian territory -- for the speedy process of asylum requests.
Part of the migrants rescued at sea by Italian Navy vessels will be transferred to Albania, a non-EU country considered as safe by Italy.
Also read: Italy-Albania asylum-seeker deal to cost €653 million, report finds