CPR Centre in Albania to Be Activated, Announces Piantedosi

Venice: Two Italian-run centers that were established last year in Albania for the expedited processing of asylum seekers will not need to be transformed into repatriation centres (CPRs) to remain operational, as one already exists within a facility, stated Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi on Monday.

According to Ansa News Agency, Piantedosi emphasized that the migration centers in Albania “can’t become CPRs because one already exists inside a multipurpose facility.” He highlighted the necessity to activate it promptly in light of the goal to recuperate available places in CPRs within the national territory, in accordance with the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which is anticipated to be implemented by mid-2026.

The minister further clarified that the center will continue to serve its original functions, including the processing of asylum requests in a third country, as it was initially designed to be multipurpose. However, the execution of a protocol between Rome and Tirana for the fast-track processing of asylum seekers at these facilities has been impeded by Italy’s judiciary.

The migration centers in Shengjin and Gjader, which opened last October, currently remain unoccupied after Italian courts failed to validate the detention of the initial groups of migrants brought there in October, November, and January. Meanwhile, Elly Schlein, leader of the largest opposition party, the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), issued a statement declaring Piantedosi’s announcement marked the conclusion of the two centers in Albania, which she claims have cost Italians nearly one billion euros. Schlein urged Piantedosi and Premier Giorgia Meloni to abandon their plan, citing current European legislation that prohibits the relocation of a repatriation centre to a third country.

Schlein’s statement further pointed out that the protocol only allows for a small portion of the Albanian centers to function as CPRs, suggesting that both the protocol with Albania and the relevant law require revision to utilize them as CPRs fully. Nevertheless, Piantedosi later affirmed that the centers in Albania adhere to European regulations.

He explained that under European regulations, Italy must be ready by June 2026 to accommodate approximately 8,000 places as a country of first entry to facilitate accelerated procedures. Piantedosi added that the timeline for the Albanian centers to become operational will depend on the resolution of related judicial cases in the coming months.

The European Court of Justice began examining the Italy-Albania protocol case last month. The court in Luxembourg is evaluating referrals from Italian courts that have yet to acknowledge the legitimacy of detentions ordered against migrants rescued in the Mediterranean and relocated across the Adriatic, as they originate from countries deemed safe by the Italian government, such as Egypt and Bangladesh. Recognizing the significance of the issue, the EU Court is conducting the examination on an expedited basis, with a verdict expected before the summer.