Italian Judges Block Meloni's Asylum Policy in Albania Again

The Italian judiciary has delivered yet another blow to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's controversial immigration policy, blocking the government's request to hold asylum seekers in Albania pending an EU court review.

On January 31, 2025, Italian judges ruled against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government for the third time concerning its attempt to process asylum seekers in Albania. A court of appeals in Rome decided that the government could not keep the migrants offshore during the pending review by the Court of Justice of the European Union next month. This ruling affects 43 migrants who were transported by the Italian Navy to Albanian centers after being intercepted in the Mediterranean.

In response to the ruling, a spokesman for Italy's Interior Ministry indicated that the migrants would be returned to Italy. Since the implementation of the policy in October 2024, the government had sought to create detention centers in Albania for the expedited processing of asylum claims. The policy specifically excluded women and minors, permitting only 'non-vulnerable' men from certain countries deemed 'safe.'

The Meloni administration has characterized its approach as a deterrent against undocumented migration, hoping to reduce the perilous Mediterranean crossings that many migrants undertake. However, the initiative has faced staunch opposition from human rights organizations and criticisms from political opponents in Italy, who label it as both illegal and financially burdensome.

This ongoing judicial challenge underscores the tension between Italy's hardline immigration stance and EU regulations, highlighting the complexities in managing migration in a global context.