43 Migrants Returned to Italy from Albania After Court Ruling

Bari: The 43 migrants whose detention at a new Italian-run centre in Albania was halted by Rome’s appeals court have been relocated to the southern port city of Bari. They have been transferred to the local Palese CARA hosting centre.

According to Ansa News Agency, the migrants, all adult men from Bangladesh and Egypt, arrived at the Puglia port from Albania on Saturday night. Upon arrival, they were met by health personnel, security forces, and activists from the Arci association, who criticized the government’s new fast-track processing scheme for asylum seekers, labeling it as ineffective.

The migrants were part of the third group sent to Albania under an agreement between Rome and Tirana. Initially, the group included 49 individuals who were intercepted south of Lampedusa and transported to Albania last Tuesday by the Cassiopea Navy vessel. Earlier this week, six individuals were returned to Italy because they were minors or considered vulnerable.

On Friday night, the Rome appeals court referred the case of the group to the European Court of Justice to assess whether the migrants’ countries of origin could be classified as safe. Italian courts have previously obstructed similar schemes, refusing to validate the detention of two prior groups of asylum seekers sent to Albania. The European Court of Justice had ruled that an applicant could not undergo a fast-track procedure that might lead to repatriation if their country of origin was not entirely safe. Bangladesh and Egypt were not deemed safe “over all of their territory.”

The Italian government has attempted to circumvent this issue by listing 19 countries, including Bangladesh and Egypt, as safe for repatriation. However, the immigration sections of ordinary courts, which initially refused to validate detentions in Albania, were stripped of their authority and replaced by appeals courts. One such court ruled against validating the detention of the third group of migrants on Friday night.

As the European Court of Justice prepares to make a decision on the Italian courts’ referrals by February 25, interior ministry sources stated that the government remains committed to combating irregular immigration. The plan to process asylum applications in Albania is part of a broader strategy to establish regional hubs, a move supported by European partners.

The Italian government plans for the two Albanian centres to eventually process around 3,000 migrants monthly. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has praised the agreement as a potential model for other countries, and there has been notable interest from various parties.

In an interview with QN, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized the importance of distinguishing between legal and illegal immigration. He affirmed the government’s determination to proceed with its plans, despite the recent court ruling.

Meanwhile, the centre-left opposition continues to criticize the government’s migration scheme. Chiara Appendino of the Five-Star Movement condemned the policy, pointing to over 3,000 migrant arrivals in January as evidence of its failure. She further criticized the government’s reliance on Libya to curb migration, referencing the recent arrest and release of Libyan judicial police commander Najeem Osema Almasri Habish.

Ubaldo Pagano, a lawmaker from Puglia and member of the Democratic Party, described the situation as a “national shame.” He criticized the government’s actions as mere propaganda and expressed concern for the migrants, who are being unnecessarily moved between Italy and Albania.