The immigration section of Rome’s court rejected the detention of migrants at the new hosting and repatriation centre in Gadjer Albania, the judge ruled on October 18.
The Court ruled that Bangladesh and Egypt, the migrants’ countries of origin, are “not safe” for their return and thus decided that the migrants should be sent back to Italy.
Members of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, Alessandro Ciriani and Paolo Inselvini criticized the ruling, claiming it was driven by political motives.
“While the Meloni model on the fight against illegal immigration is setting the standard in Europe, the Left is showing that it is rowing against Italy and doing so in the worst way,” they told Brussels Signal.
“As anticipated yesterday by members of the Democratic Party, today the immigration section of the Court of Rome denied the validation of the detention of 12 migrants taken to Albania and coming from safe countries” they added.
The tribunal’s decision follows an earlier order from Rome’s police on October 17 to detain 16 migrants in Albania, including 10 from Bangladesh and 6 from Egypt.
The Italian navy transferred these migrants to Albania as part of an accelerated border procedure under a new government plan.
Italy has started to transfer the first group of migrants to Albania as part of its initiative to accommodate them abroad while processing their asylum applications. https://t.co/k5gir9UVs0
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 16, 2024
The ruling has sparked criticism from some Italian political parties, challenging what was initially seen as a secure agreement between Meloni’s government and Albanian authorities.
The Italian PM Giorgia Meloni on October 18 said an inquiry to the European Commission presented by MEPs with the opposition Democratic Party (PD), Five-Star Movement (M5S) and Green and Left Alliance (AVS).
“Pd, M5S and AVS have submitted a question to the European Commission asking whether it intends to open an infringement procedure against Italy for the agreement on migratory flows with Albania,” she wrote.
Meloni accused the opposition parties of attempting to have Italy sanctioned by the European Commission, framing the situation as a politically motivated attack on the administration.
“You understood correctly: some Italian parties are in fact urging Europe to sanction their own nation and its citizens, with the sole aim of politically attacking this Government. A disgrace that cannot go unnoticed” she observed.
Pd, M5S e AVS hanno presentato un’interrogazione alla Commissione europea chiedendo se intende aprire una procedura d’infrazione contro l’Italia per l’accordo sui flussi migratori con l’Albania. Avete capito bene: alcuni partiti italiani stanno di fatto sollecitando l’Europa a…
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) October 18, 2024
Ciriani and Inselvini questioned the timing of the events, suggesting a coordinated effort between opposition parties and a segment of the judiciary to dismantle Italy’s immigration controls.
The two MEPs vowed to resist these efforts, claiming it undermines national sovereignty.
“Today the Democratic Party in Europe announced a parliamentary question to the Commission asking it to open an infringement procedure against Italy for the agreement with Albania. Three clues make proof and in this case, given the synchronicity of the events described above, it seems clear to us that the plan of a politicised part of the judiciary that wants to abolish the borders of our nation and establish the right to migrate at will” they said.
This decision could represent a political blow to Meloni’s administration, especially after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had previously endorsed her plan to process asylum seekers outside Italy.
In an October 14 letter to EU member states, von der Leyen expressed support for learning from this policy experiment.
“With the start of operations of the Italy-Albania protocol, we will also be able to draw lessons from this experience in practice,” the commission president said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to establish so-called “return hubs” outside the European Union to accelerate deportations. https://t.co/I4LXTs9JN9
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) October 15, 2024
