Italy has moved 40 migrants to Albania after deciding they could not stay in the country. These migrants, who do not have permission to remain in Italy, were sent to Italian-run detention centers located in Albania. This is the first time a European Union (EU) country has transferred migrants to a non-EU country that is not their home or a country they passed through.
The migrants reportedly left from the Italian port of Brindisi. Italian authorities have not shared their nationalities or given more information. The two centers they were taken to are located in the Albanian towns of Shengjin and Gjader, both run and funded by Italy. These centers were created to handle asylum requests for migrants rescued at sea.
Although the centers were opened last October, Italian courts had previously stopped them from being used, and small groups of migrants sent there were later returned to Italy. It’s still not clear how long the migrants can stay in Albania. In Italy, migrants can be detained for up to 18 months while waiting for deportation.
Last month, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government passed a new law allowing these Albanian centers to also hold rejected asylum-seekers who are waiting to be deported. This move is similar to a plan by the European Commission to create “return hubs,” but that plan has not been officially approved yet.
Why are human rights groups worried?
Migrant rights groups and lawyers say this action could break asylum laws and set a dangerous example for other EU countries. They say that sending migrants to another country without clear rules could be against their right to seek protection.
Experts say this move might face legal challenges in court. Meghan Benton, a migration expert from the Migration Policy Institute, said that Italy might be trying to show results after spending so much on these centers. She also said other countries, like the Netherlands, are interested in doing the same with places like Uganda.
Francesco Ferri from ActionAid, who visited Albania with other NGOs and Italian lawmakers, said there is no law in Italy, the EU, or the Albania-Italy deal that allows deporting migrants directly from Albania. This makes the purpose of sending the migrants there unclear and questionable.