Empty and now unstaffed, the Italy-Albanian migrant centres head for disaster
30 November 2024
More than 50 Italian police officers and dozens of social workers deployed to Albania’s migrant centres have been sent back to Italy as the hubs remain empty, with only a few Italian and Albanian staff remaining. Opened on October 11, the hubs were supposed to host up to 3,000 migrants while they awaited the results of their petitions for asylum in Italy. They would officially stay under Italian jurisdiction, therefore bypassing EU law. The centres faced legal setbacks after courts ordered all 24 asylum seekers sent there to return to Italy. Initially praised by Ursula von der Leyen as a model for EU repatriation plans, the hubs now seem to be heading for closure. The future of this €16.5 million project remains unclear.
 | Ariadna Mañé The courts send back asylum-seekers who are considered to come from 'not safe' countries. However, a pre-screening that checked their origin before sending them to Albania would already achieve repatriation, making the centers redundant. Meloni may push to expand the list of ‘safe countries’, but EU law continues to overrule Italian decisions, casting doubt on the plan. |
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