Albania may decide not to renew its migration agreement with Italy once it expires in 2030, according to Albanian Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha. In an interview with Euractiv, Hoxha said the deal was designed as a five-year agreement and suggested that Albania’s future membership in the European Union could make an extension unnecessary. “There will probably be no renewal because by then we expect to be members of the European Union,” he stated.
The Italy-Albania migration protocol was signed on November 6, 2023, by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. Under the agreement, migrants rescued in the Mediterranean by Italian military vessels can be transferred to facilities in Shengjin and Gjader, located on Albanian territory but operating under Italian and European jurisdiction. At the centers, asylum requests are processed while migrants awaiting deportation or repatriation may be detained. The two facilities can host up to 3,000 people. According to figures reported by the press in April 2026, nearly 600 migrants have passed through the centers so far. The total cost of the project for Italy is estimated at €653 million, while Albania is expected to receive around €80 million under the agreement.