A Rome court has ordered a group of 43 migrants from Egypt and Bangladesh to be transferred to Italy, dealing a fresh blow to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s plan to curb irregular sea arrivals. This is the third time judges have rejected the government’s migrant detention policy in Albania.
The two facilities built in Albania aim to hold migrants while processing their asylum requests. However, judges say the scheme does not comply with a recent European Court of Justice ruling that no nation of origin can be considered safe if just a part of its territory is deemed dangerous.
As a result, the Albanian facilities have remained empty since November, when judges last ordered those detained there to be transferred to Italy. The migrants will now be moved to Italy, with the transfer expected to take place on Saturday.
Italy’s opposition parties welcome the setback for Meloni, calling it “common sense” and accusing the government of trying to undermine the judiciary for political reasons. The European Court of Justice is set to review Italy’s scheme in the coming weeks to determine whether it complies with EU law.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-court-again-blocks-migrant-detentions-albania-blow-meloni-2025-01-31