Italy sends 49 refugees to Albania in bid to resume disputed scheme
Guardian7 days
Italy Resumes Migrant Transfers to Albania
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Above: Migrants disembark after a ship arrived at the Albanian port of Shengjin on Jan. 28, 2025, as Italy resumes the transfer of asylum seekers to its maritime neighbor after a months-long pause. Image copyright: Adnan Beci/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
An Italian navy ship transported 49 migrants intercepted in international waters to the port of Shëngjin in Albania on Tuesday, with four minors and a "vulnerable" adult later returning to Brindisi in Italy that day. A second "vulnerable" adult was expected to be transferred to Italy on Wednesday.
The migrants aboard the Cassiopea — reportedly from Bangladesh, Egypt, Gambia and Côte d'Ivoire — were found over the weekend south of Lampedusa and will likely spend weeks in the newly-built Gjadër reception center for processing.
This is the third time that Italy has attempted to send migrants and asylum seekers to centers in Albania for processing, following two failed attempts last year as Italian judges ordered their return. A decision on this third attempt is expected by Thursday.
The Spin
Left narrative
Judges in Italy have already ruled against this plan, but the Meloni government keeps trying to deprive migrants from their right to asylum. It's unacceptable that Rome treats vulnerable and innocent people fleeing war and misery like that while protecting powerful people such as Libya war criminal Ossama al-Masri.
Right narrative
Despite the opposition of leftist judges and politicians, the migrant processing centers in Albania are a pragmatic solution to protect borders and manage immigration effectively to deter human trafficking and discourage dangerous sea crossings. Hopefully, this plan will be successful and set a model for other European nations.
