Italy and Albania between Migrations and Security: The Evolution of National and European Policies (1991–2023)

This thesis examines the evolution of migratory dynamics between Albania and Italy from the early 1990s to the present day, tracing how the collapse of the Albanian communist regime and the ensuing political and economic crisis transformed Italy from a country of emigration to one of immigration. Through a historical-political and legal analysis, the research explores the dual dimension of Italian responses (humanitarian and securitarian) showing how the Albanian case became a laboratory for the formation of Italy’s migration governance. The first two chapters reconstruct the collapse of the Albanian regime and the mass exoduses of 1991 and 1997, focusing on the role of Italian diplomacy, bilateral cooperation, and the development of the first immigration laws (Martelli, Turco-Napolitano, and Bossi-Fini). The third chapter analyses the gradual transformation of Albania into a transit and control hub for migrants heading toward the European Union, examining the consolidation of Italian-Albanian agreements and the growing involvement of European agencies such as Frontex and the EUAA. Finally, the fourth chapter discusses the 2023 Italy-Albania agreement on the establishment of Reception and Repatriation Centres (CPR) on Albanian territory, assessing its legal, humanitarian, and geopolitical implications. The thesis argues that Italian policy toward Albania reveals a fundamental continuity from the 1990s to the present, in which migration management has become increasingly intertwined with externalization and European integration dynamics.