Italy has approved a decree that expands the use of Albanian fast-track asylum processing centres to include repatriation hubs, following a recent EU proposal. The two existing centres in Albania will now house migrants who arrived in Italy but had their asylum request rejected and received deportation orders.
The decision is part of an effort by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s conservative government to relaunch the costly project, which has cost nearly €800 million over five years. However, the first three groups of migrants transferred to the centres were sent back to Italy after Italian magistrates refused to validate their detention in Albania.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the new decree does not change the bulk of the agreement with Albania but adds new functions for the centres. The proposal aims to set a standard for all 27 EU members and allow national authorities to enforce deportation orders issued by other countries.
The move follows a European Commission proposal unveiled in March to open new “return hubs” in third countries for rejected asylum-seekers. Only 20% of people with a deportation order are effectively removed from EU territory, according to the commission.
In a separate decree, Italy also toughened laws on citizenship. Italian descendants born abroad will now only automatically become citizens for two generations, and those with at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy will be granted citizenship from birth. The government aims to prevent abuse and “commercialisation” of Italian passports.
Source: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/03/29/kyiv-says-moscow-preparing-new-military-offensive-to-increase-pressure-on-ukraine