Italy's government vehemently tries to operate its asylum centers in Albania. Now it is rejected asylum seekers who are sent to the third country. The European Court of Justice, meanwhile, checks whether the “Albania model” is right.
Italy again tries to accommodate asylum seekers in camp in Albania. This time, however, it is not about people who still have their asylum procedure in front of them.
Instead, there are 40 rejected asylum seekers who are supposed to wait for their deportation to their home countries in a camp in Albania. As the responsible Italian authorities announced, they are brought to the internment centers operated by Italy in Gjader and in the port of Shengjin, 66 kilometers northwest of the capital Tirana.
For the first time, an EU state sends it to a country that he had rejected to a country that they had not previously crossed. So far it is not clear how long the people in Albania can stay. In Italy, they could be interned for up to 18 months until they are deported.
Long legal dispute around warehouse in Albania
The use of the camps is only possible on the basis of a decree that the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni passed in March. It extends the use of the Albanian asylum centers to the detention of rejected asylum seekers with deportation.
The camps in Albania were originally built for up to 3,000 asylum seekers. Asylum seekers are to be accommodated there who were attempted to get to Europe in international waters and are waiting for the outcome of their asylum procedure in Italy.
However, the centers have remained largely unused since their opening in October because Italian dishes have intervened. A dispute between Meloni's government and the judiciary had developed. The government's plans have been stopping three times since October 2024. As a result, all 66 men, who were now set in Albania, had to be brought to Italy. Italy is the only country of the European Union that operates such camps outside the EU.
ECJ is currently negotiating “Albania model”
Even the European Court of Justice (ECJ) is currently negotiating Italy's “Albania model” and is examining its legality. The Italian government wants to carry out certain asylum procedures in the Albanian camps in order to be able to deport people from so -called safe countries of origin faster. The Procedure at the ECJ is all about the definition of “safe countries of origin” and who can determine these countries.
It is also not clear whether it is currently legally possible to operate deportation devices outside the EU. The EU Commission announced some time ago that it is possible to make it possible in principle. There is currently no corresponding legal basis.
With information from Lisa Weiß, ARD Rome
