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Italy prepares to transfer migrants to Gjadra, including Albanians

Politiko 2025-04-08 16:20:21

Italy prepares to transfer migrants to Gjadra, including Albanians
The Italian Interior Ministry is in the final stages of compiling a list of migrants who will be transferred to the Gjadri camp in Albania. Italian media reports that, unlike previous groups, this time they are people who are already in repatriation centers in Italy and are awaiting deportation.

According to published information, the Department of Civil Liberties and Immigration, headed by Prefect Rosanna Rabuano, is selecting immigrants who are considered most suitable to be sent to Albania. The list includes Tunisian, Egyptian, Moroccan, but also Albanian citizens.

If the government in Tirana gives the green light, irregular Albanian migrants could also be transferred to Gjadra. For them, the repatriation process would be simpler and less costly, as they could be released directly on Albanian territory, unlike other citizens who, according to the agreement in force, must return to Italy before leaving for their countries of origin.

The group that arrived in January 2025 constitutes the third and largest contingent to date to be placed in the reception center in Shëngjin. The two previous groups, sent in October and November last year, were turned back due to court decisions that did not confirm the lawful detention of the asylum seekers.

The legal obstacles that accompanied the sending of migrants to Albania are related to the lists of countries of origin. Italian judges rejected the idea of a unified list for the entire European Union, demanding that each country have independent assessments. On December 30, 2024, the Court of Cassation ruled in favor of the Italian government, emphasizing that the designation of safe countries is the competence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and executive institutions, and not of the judiciary.

The agreement to build two reception centers for migrants in Gjadra and Shëngjin was signed in 2023 between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. The main goal was to manage the migratory flow outside Italy's territory, but the project has drawn widespread criticism from international human rights organizations, which see the initiative as a burden-shifting to countries with weaker legal systems and limited resources.

Meanwhile, the Italian opposition has denounced the deal as ineffective and too costly, with a bill reaching 800 million euros over five years. However, the European Commission and some EU leaders have expressed interest in using this model as a precedent for managing migrants outside the union's borders.