A court in Italy has recently made a decision rejecting the government’s attempt to detain 12 migrants at newly established facilities in Albania. This ruling highlights a significant challenge in the administration’s strategy to outsource parts of its migrant processing to the Balkan nation.
The 12 migrants in question were amongst the first group of 16 individuals sent to the two centers under a five-year agreement aimed at accommodating 3,000 migrants per month rescued by the Italian coast guard. These migrants were to undergo assessments for asylum in Italy or potential returns to their home countries.
However, according to Italian law, each migrant’s detention must be reviewed by specific migration courts in Italy. On this occasion, a court in Rome dismissed the detention of 12 of these migrants, citing concerns about the safety of their countries of origin, Bangladesh and Egypt. Additionally, four other migrants were identified as vulnerable during screenings and were not detained.
This judicial ruling marks an initial stumbling block in the Italy-Albania arrangement, which the government views as a groundbreaking model for managing illegal migration. The League party, a part of the ruling coalition, criticized the court’s decision, alleging political bias. In response, the opposition highlighted the complexity, cost, and potential infringement of migrants’ rights associated with the current system.
Following the court’s decision, the fate of these migrants remains uncertain, as they are supposed to be transferred back to Italy. The operation of the centers, costing Italy 670 million euros over five years, falls under Italian jurisdiction although external security is provided by Albanian guards.
In case of successful asylum applications, Italy will welcome the migrants, while those rejected face deportation from Albania. This contentious agreement to outsource the housing of asylum-seekers to a non-EU member has received mixed reactions. Despite criticism, the European Commission President commended the unconventional approach as innovative in addressing migration challenges within the EU.