MEPs denounce obstacles in Gjadri camp, were not allowed to inspect cells

The European portal EUobserver has dedicated an article to the visit of a delegation of MEPs to the Italian migrant center in Gjadra, reporting that Italian authorities prevented a full inspection of the facility.

As politiko.al writes, MEPs from the Greens/European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA) group were not allowed to enter the premises where the detainees are held and raised serious concerns about the conditions in the center, citing cases of self-harm and suicide attempts among migrants.

"MEPs from the Greens/European Free Alliance (EFA) faced difficulties entering Italian detention centers in Albania on Monday (June 29), after Italian authorities on the ground refused entry to some members of their staff.

European lawmakers were then also barred from inspecting the living quarters and cells at the Gjadra detention centre. Dutch Green MEP Anna Strolenberg said they were faced with "excuses" when they asked to enter the centre's premises.

"We had two people with us who work with us on this issue, not in the European Parliament, but outside of it. I did this last time I came. This time, some of them were rejected," she said.

"They refused to give us any explanation as to why they couldn't enter," added Strolenberg, noting that Italian police on the ground prevented the delegation from entering.

According to her, MEPs had traveled to Albania to understand whether the center outside Italian territory would be used as a return center under the new European Union regulation on returns, but found that, at least for the time being, it will continue to function as a detention center for people awaiting deportation.

"But I'm kind of skeptical that that will change," Strolenberg said.

She recalled that Italian law applies on the territory of the center. The facility was originally intended to process asylum applications, but now functions only as a detention center for people awaiting deportation.

"It was clear they were trying to prevent us from entering," the MEP said.

The delegation was also denied the opportunity to meet directly with detainees in the facilities where they live, again without any clear explanation.

"Many of them arrived in Italy as unaccompanied minors and lived there for ten years. Suddenly they were transferred to a camp outside Italian territory. Today I met a boy who had cut off his arm and many others have attempted suicide," said Strolenberg.

According to her, many of the detainees speak Italian and are in an unclear situation, without receiving sufficient explanations about their status. MEPs said that some of them are not even allowed to formally submit an asylum application.

During the visit, the delegation found signs of self-harm in some detainees and noted that suicide attempts are not isolated cases in this center.

"This system created under the Italy-Albania agreement is clearly dysfunctional and we must ensure that it does not become a model for detention centers funded by the European Union," said Dutch MEP Tineke Strik, Green coordinator in the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee.

After a series of failed legal challenges, the center in Gjadra has also been the subject of criticism for its very high operating costs. According to a study published last July by the organization ActionAid Italy, the costs for this structure amount to several hundred million euros, up to seven times higher than what a similar center within Italy would cost," the article states.