Italy's migrant detention centre in Albania faces early setback

Criticism grows after detainees return following medical and legal obstacles

Albania has agreed to let 3,000 migrants a month be processed at an Italian-operated asylum centre on its territory. Reuters

Italy's new policy of shipping asylum seekers to Albania has encountered an early setback after four of the first 16 migrants had to return to Italy.

The 16 people from Egypt and Bangladesh were taken to Albania by an Italian warship three days after they were intercepted in the Mediterranean. However, two said they were children, meaning they could not be admitted to a detention centre for adult men.

Two others headed back to the warship for health reasons, local media said. The group was the first bound for the Albanian centre where asylum seekers will plead their cases to Italian judges by video link. Italy is paying about $700 million for Albania to house them on its territory.

The early mishap fuelled fresh murmurs of criticism of the Albania scheme agreed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni last year. The leader of Italy's Left party, Nicola Fratoianni, said the processing of migrants at sea was “illegitimate and violates international and constitutional norms”.

Angelo Bonelli, an environmentalist MP, said the system was “not only a money-wasting machine but already has obvious flaws”, according to Italian media. “If with only 16 migrants they were unable to identify the two boys, imagine what will happen when there are hundreds of migrants,” Mr Bonelli said.

Sending asylum seekers to Albania to be processed there is a flagship policy of Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. AFP

A small group of activists gathered at the Albanian port to protest the arrival of the migrants, holding a banner reading “The European dream ends here”. The arrangement is being closely watched by other EU countries as leaders debate get-tough policies on migration at a summit on Thursday and Friday.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a letter to EU members that they can “draw lessons from this experience in practice” as they consider handling asylum claims offshore. Ms von der Leyen said Europe could “explore possible ways forward as regards the idea of developing return hubs outside the EU”.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala praised the Italian deal at the Brussels summit and said the EU should seek to replicate the model with other countries. Talks have already been held with some African countries, he added.

“Illegal migration today is an issue of the EU’s internal security as well as its cohesion,” Mr Fiala said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has also agreed to explore the idea of processing asylum claims abroad, while warning of legal and practical issues with the idea.

Although the Italian centre in Gjader has capacity for 3,000 migrants, it will start with 400 and increase to 880 in a few weeks. Migrants picked up by the Italian coastguard will initially be screened on board the ships before being sent to Albania. More than 300 Italian soldiers, doctors and judges are involved in the operation.