Italy's defense plan to deal with asylum seekers in the top EU court in Albania
The Hague, Netherlands (AP) – The Italian government told a judge of the EU Supreme Court on Tuesday that its immigration was transferred to asylum processing centres in Albania comply with EU and human rights laws.
The European Court of Justice has quickly followed two cases filed by Bangladesh who rejected an asylum application after a remote hearing at an Albanian detention center.
The two appealed to a court in Rome that asked the Luxembourg-based court to clarify EU law.
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In 2023, Italy and Albania signed an agreement to accommodate up to 3,000 male immigrants when dealing with the shelter. Within five years, two specially built detention centres will cost Rome 670 million euros (US$730 million) and operate within Italian jurisdiction, while the Albanian Guard provides external security.
The two were part of the first group of immigrants who arrived in Albania in October, but the facility remains empty amid the legal challenges. The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed to reactivate both centers.
The men’s lawyers have no public names for security reasons, and he believes that Albania does not have the qualification of a “safe third country” as required by EU law, and that the process violates their rights.
Lawyer Dario Belluccio told the judge he pointed out that it is impossible to designate a third country as safe if certain categories of people are considered safe, indicating a lack of security for LGBTQ+ members in Albania.
Albania does not allow same-sex marriage, and the United Nations has found that LGBTQ+ members face discrimination and violence in the country.
Lorenzo d'Ascia told the court on behalf of the Italian state: “The conditions of safety do not have to be met equally.”
Under the agreement, migrants reserve the right to apply for asylum in Italy under international and EU law, and the government said their rights would be protected on Albanian soil.
Court advocates will provide his non-binding legal advice on the case in April and are expected to make a ruling by the summer.
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Rome-based Associated Press writer Giada Zampano contributed to the report.
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Follow the global migration scope of AP
