An Italian navy vessel transported a group of migrants back to Italy from asylum processing centers in Albania on Saturday, following a court ruling in Rome that blocked their immediate deportation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This marks the third failed attempt by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni\u2019s far-right government to process asylum seekers outside European Union borders.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Italian coast guard transferred 43 migrants from Albania\u2019s port of Shengjin, located 66 kilometers northwest of the capital, Tirana. These individuals were among the 49 men initially sent to Albania on Tuesday via an Italian naval ship. However, six of them were returned the same day after being classified as minors or vulnerable persons.<\/p>\n
According to Italian media reports, the migrants were from Bangladesh, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and Gambia.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
On Friday, an Italian appeals court in Rome refused to approve the expedited deportation of the 43 asylum seekers, referring the case to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. A ruling is expected on February 25, adding another legal hurdle for Meloni\u2019s controversial migration policy.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This latest setback follows similar rulings in October and November, where judges questioned the legality of expelling asylum seekers to non-EU countries and sought clarification from European authorities on the safety of such repatriation efforts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Italy signed a five-year deal with Albania last year to process up to 3,000 migrants per month outside EU territory, as part of Meloni\u2019s broader crackdown on illegal migration. The agreement has drawn criticism from human rights groups but has also piqued interest among European partners exploring similar measures.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Despite these efforts, migration to Italy continues at a high rate. In the first four weeks of 2025, 3,704 migrants arrived in Italy almost three times the number recorded in the same period last year.<\/p>\n
In 2024, Italy recorded 66,317 migrant arrivals, marking a 58% decrease from the previous year. According to the Italian Interior Ministry, the largest groups of migrants came from Bangladesh, Syria, Tunisia, and Egypt.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
As legal battles unfold, the Meloni government faces growing challenges in implementing its offshore asylum policy while balancing international legal obligations and domestic political pressures.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
An Italian navy vessel transported a group of migrants back to Italy from asylum processing centers in Albania on Saturday, following a court ruling in Rome that blocked their immediate deportation. This marks the third failed attempt by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni\u2019s far-right government to process asylum seekers outside European Union borders. The<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":10424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,27],"tags":[285,464,266],"class_list":{"0":"post-10423","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-news","8":"category-europe","9":"tag-amnewsworld","10":"tag-milan","11":"tag-reporters"},"yoast_head":"\n