Defeat for Meloni – Court stops internment of asylum seekers in Albania

The Rome court’s immigration service referred the case to the Court of Justice on Monday and suspended confirmation of the migrants’ detention. According to judicial sources, the seven men from Egypt and Bangladesh must therefore leave the center of Gjadër in Albania and return to Italy.

Dispute over safe countries of origin
On October 18, the same court rejected the internment of twelve migrants who were among the first group brought to Albania under the Rome government’s controversial agreement to operate migrant centers on Albanian territory. The court refused to detain the migrants on the grounds that their countries of origin, Bangladesh and Egypt, could not be considered completely safe due to an October 4 ruling by the European Court of Justice.

As a result, the twelve migrants had to be taken to Italy. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government had subsequently adopted a measure listing 19 safe countries for repatriation, including Bangladesh and Egypt, to overcome the legal obstacle to the implementation of the Albania Protocol.

Government in Rome wants to appoint
A ruling by the European Court of Justice in October made it clear that countries can only be considered safe if everyone there is free from discrimination. Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister and Lega leader, sharply criticized the verdict, seeing it as a political decision against Italy. The issue is especially relevant as Italy is hit hard by migration across the Mediterranean. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi defended the plan for Albania against opposition criticism and announced an appeal.