Migration over the Mediterranean: Italy picks up refugees from Albania again

After a new defeat for the right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italy picked up more than 40 previously interned Mediterranean refugees from Albania. A ship of the coast guard brings the men who were recently housed in a warehouse to the southern Italian port city of Bari. There they are expected in the evening.

Previously, a court in Rome had decided that the 43 men were allowed to enter the EU. For the chairwoman of the FRATELLI d’Italia (Brothers of Italy), this was already the third legal defeat in a row. As early as October and November, Richter had had that asylum applications should not be decided outside the EU. The two specially built camps in Albania are now empty despite high costs.

“Albania model” in front of the European Court of Justice at the end of February

Nevertheless, Meloni assured that he would hold on to the project. It is unclear whether your three-person coalition wants to have other refugees brought there before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg manifests itself on February 25. In essence, it is about the classification of the home countries of migrants into so -called safe countries of origin.

In the latest case, these are men from Egypt and Bangladesh who had made their way to Europe in Libya. Before they could go ashore, they were taken on board by the Italian navy and brought to Albania. There Italian officials rejected all asylum applications in the quick procedure. However, the judges tipped these decisions.

Criticism also of high costs

Italy is the first state of the European Union to erect such warehouse outside of the EU. The future of the “Albania model” is carefully pursued by other European governments. Italy is one of the countries that are particularly affected by the escape movement over the Mediterranean. In January, 3,368 newcomers were counted, more than a year ago (2,258).

A dispute between the legal government in Rome and the judiciary has developed in dealing with migrants. The question of who has the competence is to determine safe countries of origin. Most recently there was a decision by the Supreme Court in Rome to create scope for the government. So far, however, the legal situation has not been clarified.

The right coalition accuses the judiciary of torpedoing the regulation for political reasons. Judge associations reject this as an attempt to put the judiciary under pressure. The left opposition, in turn, also criticizes Meloni for waste many millions of euros in tax money. The costs for the construction and operation of the camps are estimated at more than 650 million euros.