Italy to begin transferring migrants to controversial centers in Albania

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) - Italy is set to transfer a group of 40 irregular migrants awaiting deportation to migrant centers it established in Albania.

According to state news agency ANSA, the migrants, whose asylum claims have been rejected and who face finalized deportation orders, will be transported by the Italian Navy patrol vessel Libra from a repatriation center in Brindisi on Friday.

The transfer is part of a new decree-law issued by the Italian government on March 28, which expands the use of the Albanian facilities to include migrants already within Italy’s borders.

The two centers, located in the northwestern Albanian towns of Shengjin and Gjader, were originally created to process adult, healthy male migrants rescued at sea by Italian authorities.

They were inaugurated in October 2024, but remained largely inactive due to legal challenges and court rulings that led to the return of previously transferred groups.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi defended the move, saying the country is exploring new ways to manage migration. He expressed confidence in upcoming European Court of Justice rulings related to the policy.

The agreement between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, signed in November 2023, was the first of its kind allowing an EU member state to send migrants to a non-EU country for processing.

Despite government claims that the policy serves as a deterrent to irregular migration, it has faced strong criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups, who argue it misuses public funds and undermines migrant rights.