He embarrassing government plan of the Italian Giorgia Meloni to send migrants arriving on its shores to Albania, finds herself facing her first failure.
Four of the 16 migrants who reached the Italian coast and were deported to the Albanian port of Shengjin by an Italian navy ship, they will return to Italyas reported by the newspaper ‘La Repubblica’. Italian media reports that two young Bangladeshis from sixteen years old and the other two adults in extremely vulnerable situations.
While Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi defends Meloni’s plan, the opposition criticizes the leadership. “This confirms the absurdity of the measures that this government has decided to use, despite the fact that the identification of shipwrecked people at sea is illegitimate and violates international and constitutional norms”, wrote the leader of the Italian left and member of Avs about Nicola Fratoianni on his X account.
Meloni’s shameful plan, which the Italian Prime Minister considers “courageous”, aims to get rid of migrants. In Albania, they will be identified, a health check and those who meet the conditions can apply for asylum in the European Union. However, if they are refused, they will be deported. The truth is that all this management will be carried out in a country that does not belong to the EU: Albania.
18,000 euros per migrant
The transfer to Albania of migrants who arrive on the Italian coast is, in addition to being complex, expensive. The figures resulting from this first deportation demonstrate this.
In total, this journey of the first 16 migrants and 70 crew members to arrive in Albania will cost between 250,000 and 290,000 euros. According to the Italian newspaper “La Repubblica”, the cost will be 18,000 euros per migrant. Additionally, the system is not simple at all. Each transfer takes five days round trip, so you can only do one per week.
Von Der Leyen takes inspiration from Meloni and his migrant center
This Tuesday, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced her intention to “explore possible avenues” and create expulsion centers for irregular migrants outside the Community territory while their cases are resolved in the Union.
Indeed, Von der Leyen mentions as an example in her letter she sent to EU leaders, the agreement negotiated by the Italian government of Giorgia Meloni with Albania to open centers in that country to transfer migrants who have already requested asylum in Italy while their applications are being processed. “With the start of protocol operations between Italy and Albania, we will be able to learn from this practical experience,” said the Commission President.
For its part, the Spanish government has shown its rejection of the idea of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who believes that the European Union should create expulsion centers for irregular migrants outside the territory community while their problems are resolved.
