The Italian government has approved a new decree allowing the transfer of irregular migrants from detention centers in Italy to reception centers in Albania.
According to Italian media, this decision is based on a legal loophole in both Italian legislation and European immigration regulations, which may permit the use of migrant centers in Albania that have remained unoccupied.
Under the newly approved decree, irregular migrants currently held in Italian detention centers may be transferred to facilities in Albania, where they will stay for up to 18 months while awaiting acceptance from their countries of origin for repatriation. However, the procedure stipulates that the final deportation must take place from Italian territory. This means that after their stay in Albania, migrants will be returned to Italy before being repatriated to their home countries.
In Italy, this scheme has raised concerns about increased administrative costs, as each detained migrant must be escorted by two police officers during transfers between the two countries.
The decision has sparked intense debate, particularly regarding the legal aspects of transferring migrants to a third country. Currently, European Union regulations do not allow migrants to be transferred to a country that is neither their country of origin nor a transit country. The EU envisions that such centers could only be established after 2027, whereas Italy is implementing this measure immediately. The Italian government is awaiting a ruling from the European Court of Justice on the matter but remains confident that the decision will be in its favor. Until then, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government is proceeding with the decree’s implementation, considering it a swift solution to the immigration issue.