The Italian naval ship Libra is on its way to Albania with eight migrants arrested in the Mediterranean Sea. The adult men, who were arrested two days ago south of Lampedusa, were expected to arrive in the Albanian port city of Shëngjin on Thursday and then be housed in a reception center in Gjadër, Italian media reported on Wednesday.
Italy is the first country in the European Union that wants to decide on asylum applications beyond the EU’s external borders. Almost three weeks ago, following a court ruling, the first twelve migrants who had been brought to the reception center in Albania were sent back to Italy. The men from Egypt and Bangladesh returned to Bari after an Italian court declared the transfer of migrants to Albania unlawful.
Egypt and Bangladesh “safe countries” for Italy
The court referred to a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the countries of origin of migrants that have been classified as safe. The government in Rome subsequently approved an official list of ‘safe countries’, which also included Egypt and Bangladesh.
The Albanian refugee centers have been empty for almost three weeks, but are staffed by almost 300 employees: translators, cleaners, medical and nursing staff, as well as police and carabinieri. The opposition parties complained about the high costs of the project.
Italian personnel in camps in Albania
A year ago, Italy and Albania agreed to set up reception centers for asylum seekers in Albania, managed by Italy. The asylum centers are managed according to Italian law and with Italian staff. Human rights organizations sharply criticized the agreement. It remains unclear how Italy will ensure human rights are respected in reception centers outside the EU, it said.
The number of refugees is decreasing
This year, 55,049 people have already come to Italy by boat across the Mediterranean Sea. This included 6,915 minors, as the Ministry of the Interior announced in a current assessment. In the comparable period of 2023, 144,035 people arrived. The number of arrivals also fell compared to 2022. Most asylum seekers who arrived in Italy this year came from Bangladesh, Syria, Tunisia and Egypt.
This year, 4,514 migrants were expelled from Italy, corresponding to a 15 percent increase compared to the comparable period in 2023, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi announced to parliament in Rome on Wednesday. 450 human traffickers have been arrested in the past two years.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
