ROME, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Italy has formally opened two refugee processing centers in Albania, the first time a European Union (EU) country has operated migrant facilities outside the 27-nation bloc, Italian news agency Ansa reported.
The opening of the centers has sparked controversy from human rights groups, but after some delays, the sites are expected to emerge as a key element in Italy's bid to curb the number of refugees landing on its shores. The facilities were supposed to open in August.
