Italy approves new decree to use Albanian immigration centers as “repatriation” hub
Rome (AP) – The Italian-led far-right government on Friday approved a decree that expanded the use of Albanian rapid shelter processing centers to include a “repayment” hub and meets recent EU proposals.
Under the new decree, two centres in Albania were originally designed to deal with indestructible immigrants rescued in international waters – and will now also accommodate immigrants in Italy if their asylum demands are refused and deportation orders are received.
Since opening in October, the Albanian Centre has been substantially inactive due to legal obstacles and widespread opposition from the Human Rights Association, who believe they have violated international laws and put the rights of immigrants at risk.
The project (which cost nearly €800 million in five years of investment) was disappointed with the Conservative government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
After a longer than expected construction work, the first three groups of immigrants were sent back to Italy in October, November and January after the Italian district court refused to verify their detention in non-EU countries.
Home Minister Matteo Piantedosi said in a press conference on Friday that the new decree has not changed much of the agreement with Albania, but has added new functions to the center.
“The decree changed the law that ratified the agreement with Albania, but did not change its contents, allowing transfer to existing (repatriation) Gjader centres, which are also immigrants from Italy,” explained Piantedosi.
“This will allow us to immediately reactivate the center so as not to lose its function,” he added.
The Italian move offers Meloni a new opportunity to restart the expensive Albanian centre, following the European Commission proposal announced in March, opening a new “return hub” to be established in a third country for denying rejected asylum seekers.
According to the European Commission, only 20% of the people in the expulsion order have effectively removed from EU territory, which proposed the “European Return System” as a potential solution.
The proposal aims to set standards for all 27 members of the group and to allow the national authorities of one country to implement the deportation orders of another country. Such rules are missing in EU immigration and asylum treaties ratified last year.
The Italian government is still awaiting a ruling from the European Court of Justice, which is expected to enable the Albanian centre to operate as originally intended this summer.
____
Global migration coverage following AP:
