"Accommodation centers in Albania to be used for repatriation" - Italian Interior Minister reveals plan, but legal changes required
Italy plans to convert reception centers in Albania into permanent repatriation centers for irregular migrants. The plan requires legal changes and a review of the agreement with Albania, drawing criticism from the opposition.
To ensure the use of accommodation facilities in Albania, Italy plans to convert them into repatriation centers. This option could become feasible once EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner's plan comes into effect, according to Euroactiv.
Although operational since October, migrant reception centers in Shëngjin and Gjadra, Albania, have remained empty due to ongoing legal disputes. The centers are awaiting a ruling from the European Court of Justice, expected by the end of May, after the Rome Court referred the case to determine which countries can be classified as “safe” for returning migrants.
To overcome this impasse before the decision, the Italian government is considering repurposing the facilities as Permanent Repatriation Centers. Instead of housing migrants detained in international waters, as originally planned, the centers would be used to hold irregular migrants already in Italy who are scheduled for deportation.
After much speculation, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi confirmed part of the plan in an interview with La Stampa. “The Albanian centers could help strengthen the repatriation system for irregular migrants who do not have the right to stay in Italy,” he said, adding that they are already equipped to handle deportations and there would be no additional costs.
According to Italian media, ahead of a cabinet meeting scheduled for March 28, the government is working on a “new decree for Albania” that would authorize the use of the centers as repatriation facilities. However, this would require amending existing agreements with Albania.
Piantedosi later softened the statement, explaining that immigration centers in Albania "cannot become repatriation facilities, because one already exists within a multi-purpose facility. We just need to activate it as soon as possible, taking into account the need to recover available spaces throughout the national territory." He stated that "this will not change its original function."
Representatives of the Democratic Party in Italy criticized the plan. According to them, "the protocol allows only a small part of the Albanian centers to be used as repatriation facilities, so their conversion would require a review of the agreement with Albania and a change in the law. To claim that this conversion would not have additional costs is ridiculous," they said.
Poll
Transfer of ownership, how much money do Albanians pay? - 15% tax "leaves in place" real estate sales
The real estate market during 2024 has been accompanied by continuous fluctuations because many transactions were not finalized on time pending the......
Law on the Status of the Military/Vengu: NATO-level salaries within the next 4 years!
During the meeting that took place today in Tirana, for public consultation, with representatives from former military associations, on the Law on the Status......
"Businesses unprepared for energy transition" - American Chamber in Kosovo seeks extension of market liberalization deadline
The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo is calling for a reconsideration of the liberalization of the energy market for 2025. According to it, Kosovo is......
EU "releases" first funds for Albania: 922 million euros from the Economic Growth Plan until 2027. Payments, 2 times a year
Albania is the second country to benefit from the first financing from the Economic Growth Plan. After the successful preparation of the Reform Agenda, North......
32 million euros in debts to businesses and citizens are repaid - Investment obligations are "discharged", the burden of court decisions is reduced
The year 2024 ended with a significant decrease in central and local government debts to businesses and citizens. The stock of arrears reached a total of......
Financing from the Growth Plan, Edi Rama: We met the EU conditions. "A clear sign that we are moving rapidly towards membership"
The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, held a live conversation with citizens on social networks. In his speech, the Head of Government said that the EU......
Starline 21, the railway connecting 39 European destinations - From the United Kingdom to Turkey and Ukraine, Tirana is also part of the network
Dozens of rail lines launched in recent years are making it easier to travel across European borders. But a newly announced proposal from a Copenhagen-based......
Business, politics and uncertainty, markets in great fluctuations - Musk, Bezos and Zuckerberg, wealth depreciates by 209 billion dollars
Billionaire tech giants like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, who supported Donald Trump during the presidential election campaign, are facing......
