Italy Reinstates Asylum Seeker Shipments to Albania Amid Legal Challenges

In a renewed effort to manage migration, Italy has restarted its program to send asylum seekers to Albania for processing, a move met with both support and criticism, highlighting ongoing tensions in migration policy.

Italy's contentious initiative to transport asylum seekers to Albania made a comeback on Sunday, according to the country's Interior Ministry. This restart comes after prior judicial roadblocks hindered the first round of transfers. Reports indicate that an Italian Navy vessel has begun ferrying 49 individuals to newly established processing centers in Albania, all having been intercepted at sea prior to arrival in Italy.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has championed this offshore processing strategy as a cornerstone of her administration's approach to curtail illegal immigration, aiming to deter migrants from perilous Mediterranean crossings. Her government previously faced legal hurdles when judges in Rome ruled against the initial transfers, asserting that earlier migrants sent to Albania were deemed ineligible as their countries of origin (Bangladesh and Egypt) might not be regarded as safe.

Undeterred, Meloni reinvigorated the program, effectively removing it from the jurisdiction of the judges who previously ruled against it. Further, her administration is said to have compiled a new list of countries classified as safe for such transfers, although specific details regarding the nationalities of current migrants have not been revealed.

Critics have strongly condemned this approach, labeling it as inhumane and prohibitively costly, while calling for a reevaluation of migrant treatment policies. Nonetheless, some proponents within the European political sphere view Italy's strategy as a potential blueprint for addressing migration, particularly amid rising anti-immigrant sentiments. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, referred to the initiative as “an example of out-of-the-box thinking,” suggesting it could offer new frameworks for cooperation with third-party countries.

The legal debate continues, with the Italian judiciary reviewing who qualifies for transfer to Albania, while the European Court of Justice is preparing to consider aspects of safe country designation. As tensions mount, Meloni remains resolute, assuring supporters of the program's success, stating, “Trust me, the centers in Albania will work,” and affirming her commitment to the policy despite looming uncertainties.