Italy has approved a new law to turn Albanian asylum centres into deportation hubs. The law lets Italy send rejected asylum seekers to these centres in Albania. The new rule only applies after a migrant has received a final deportation order.
Reactivating Albanian Centres for Deportation
The Albanian centres have been mostly empty since they were built in October. Italian courts had stopped the transfers because the facilities did not meet legal requirements. Judges said the detentions were not allowed under Italian or EU law.
But now, the new law makes it possible for Italy to send migrants to the Albanian centres. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said this law gives the centres a legal purpose. The government hopes to start using the centres right away.
Gjader Centre Opens Again
One of the main facilities in Albania is the Gjader centre. This centre was not being used until now. With the new law, migrants will be sent directly from Italy to Gjader. Piantedosi said the government is now able to get this facility running again.
Meloni Sees a Chance for the €800 Million Project
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government is excited about this move. It is seen as a fresh start for an €800 million project that had faced many problems. Originally, the project was meant to quickly process migrants rescued at sea. But delays in construction and legal issues meant the plan did not work as expected.
The new decree is in line with a European Commission plan from March. The EU wants to see deportation hubs in third countries to make deportations easier. According to the EU, only 20% of deportation orders within the EU are followed through. The hope is that these centres will help fix this problem.
EU Encourages Return Hubs in Other Countries
The European Commission has been encouraging EU countries to open deportation hubs in third countries. These hubs would help enforce deportation orders for migrants who cannot be sent back to their home countries. EU leaders think this plan can make deportation more effective and consistent across the EU.
The goal is for one EU country to handle deportations for other countries. This will make sure all member states follow the same rules and can enforce deportation decisions.
Court Ruling Will Decide the Future of the Centres
The future of the Albanian deportation centres depends on a ruling from the European Court of Justice. The court is expected to make a decision this summer. If Italy wins, the government will be able to fully use the Albanian centres as planned. This will allow Italy to enforce its new law and deport more migrants.
Italy Tightens Citizenship Rules for Foreign Descendants
In addition to the new deportation law, Italy has also changed its rules for citizenship. The government has tightened access to citizenship for people with Italian roots living abroad. Under the new law, only people with at least one Italian-born parent or grandparent can apply for automatic citizenship. This limits automatic citizenship to people who are only two generations removed from Italy.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the new rule is meant to stop people from misusing the system. He explained that many descendants of Italians will still qualify. However, the law is designed to prevent large numbers of people from applying.
Rising Demand for Italian Citizenship
The number of people applying for Italian citizenship has increased sharply. Between 2014 and 2024, the number of Italian citizens living abroad grew from 4.6 million to 6.4 million. There are now over 60,000 citizenship applications waiting to be processed. The new rules aim to make the process more efficient and prevent misuse of the system.
Italy’s new law to use Albanian asylum centres for deportation is a big change in the country’s immigration policy. The government is hoping that the new system will help handle rejected asylum seekers more efficiently. At the same time, the tightening of citizenship rules aims to reduce abuse of Italy’s passport system.