Italy’s new plan to send migrants to Albania has hit a major problem after judges ruled against it. The deal, made by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, was supposed to help Italy manage the large number of migrants arriving from the Mediterranean. Under the plan, Italy would send male migrants to Albania while their asylum claims were processed by Italian judges. However, this plan is now facing serious legal issues after the court’s decision.
Italy has been one of the main countries in Europe dealing with a huge number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea, mostly from North Africa. To ease this pressure, the Italian government decided to work with Albania. The goal was to house male asylum seekers in Albania, keeping them there while their cases were reviewed remotely by judges in Italy. This was similar to the UK’s Rwanda plan, which also faced many legal challenges.
Last week, the first group of 16 migrants from Bangladesh and Egypt arrived at the port of Shengjin in Albania. These men were part of Italy’s new plan to house migrants in Albania while their asylum applications were processed. However, things did not go as planned. Four of the men were considered “vulnerable” and had to be sent back to Italy immediately. Just a few days later, the Albanian courts ruled that the remaining 12 men could not stay in Albania and must also return to Italy.
The 12 migrants were taken to the southern Italian port of Brindisi by an Italian coast guard ship. This decision has made it difficult for Italy to continue with the deal, which was expected to cost around €160 million every year. The main idea behind the agreement was to identify migrants from “safe” countries and return them quickly. However, this legal ruling now raises questions about whether the deal can continue at all.
Despite the setback, the Italian government still plans to move forward with the deal. Prime Minister Meloni expressed her frustration with the court’s ruling, calling it unfair. She said it is the government’s job to decide which countries are safe for migrants and hinted that her government would create new rules to address the problem.
On Monday, the Italian government will hold a meeting to decide what to do next. While the court’s decision has created major problems for Italy’s plan, the government remains determined to find a way to continue with its strategy. The future of this agreement is unclear, but Italy is exploring new ways to handle the ongoing migration issue.