Italy's Migration Strategy: Albania as a Gateway

Italy has embarked on a controversial plan to process asylum seekers in Albania, with hopes of deterring dangerous sea crossings to Europe. The first attempt faced legal challenges, but Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government is testing a revised approach, with a second group of migrants sent this week.

Italy has intensified efforts to manage migrant flows by sending a second group to Albania, part of a contentious plan to handle asylum seekers outside national borders. Despite initial legal setbacks, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni remains committed to this offshore processing strategy, eyeing broader implications for migration policy.

The initial transfer to Albania faced judicial scrutiny when a court determined the migrants' illegal holding, citing recent judicial precedents. As a countermeasure, Italy upgraded its classification of 'safe countries' to a law, seeking to fortify its stance against future legal challenges.

Italy's investment in reception centers in Albania represents the first EU country initiative to redirect migrants to a non-EU nation. As these centers reach operational capacity, the program tests new legal and ethical territories, amid expectations of maintaining an annual processing cap of 36,000 non-vulnerable men.

(With inputs from agencies.)