Fri Aug 01 14:02:33 UTC 2025: **News Article:**
**EU Court Ruling Casts Doubt on Italy’s Albania Migrant Processing Plan**
**Luxembourg** – A European Union court ruling has thrown a wrench into Italy’s controversial plan to process asylum seekers in Albania. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has backed Italian judges who questioned the validity of Italy’s “safe country” designations, a key component of the scheme.
Under the agreement signed with Albania in November 2023, Italy intended to process up to 36,000 asylum seekers annually in two detention centers built in Albania. However, the facilities have remained empty due to legal challenges.
The ECJ stated that while Italy can determine “safe countries,” such designations must meet strict legal standards, including accessibility to supporting evidence for applicants and courts. The court emphasized that a country cannot be deemed “safe” if it doesn’t offer adequate protection to its entire population.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s hard-right government has denounced the ruling, claiming it weakens efforts to combat illegal immigration. Meloni’s office argued that the decision allows national judges to dictate migration policy, reducing the government’s ability to make decisions on the matter.
Dario Belluccio, a lawyer representing a Bangladeshi asylum seeker involved in the case, believes the ruling effectively kills off the Albanian migrant camp scheme.
Despite the setback, Italy has seen a reduction in undocumented migrant arrivals by sea compared to last year. So far this year, there have been 36,557 arrivals, slightly more than 2024, but significantly lower than the 89,165 recorded during the same period in 2023. The construction cost for one center has been reported as seven times more than an equivalent center in Italy.
The ECJ’s decision stems from a case involving two Bangladeshi nationals rescued at sea and taken to Albania, where their asylum claims were rejected based on Italy’s classification of Bangladesh as a “safe” country.
First Piper 