Italy is sending 49 migrants from Egypt, Bangladesh, Gambia, and Ivory Coast to Albania, with the controversial plan facing fresh legal battles.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi has ordered the navy vessel Cassiopea to transport the migrants to camps in Shëngjin. The move is part of a deal between Rome and Tirana, signed in November 2023, aimed at easing Italy’s migrant crisis.
However, the plan has already hit roadblocks. Judges in Rome and the European Court of Justice (ECJ) have previously blocked similar transfers, questioning Albania’s status as a “safe country” for resettlement.
The Italian government responded by issuing a decree revising the list of nations deemed safe for deportations. Still, opposition remains fierce.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni defends the agreement, calling it a “lesson for Europe” on managing migration. The ECJ is expected to deliver a key ruling on February 25, which could either strengthen or unravel the deal
