Italy’s offshore detention centers in Albania open for business

Federica Borlizzi, a lawyer with CILD, the Italian coalition for Freedom and Civil Rights, called the centers “an Italian Guantanamo,” a reference to the notorious United States detention camp in Cuba, in which terror suspects were imprisoned without trial and tortured.

Since rising to power on an anti-immigration platform in 2022, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has spearheaded European Union deals with African countries to block migrant boat departures and introduced stringent rules for those arriving in Italy illegally, including automatic detention.

Rome says the deal aims to relieve pressure on Italian centers and dissuade migrants from setting off. Meloni has called the deal “a new, courageous and unprecedented path” which could be replicated with other non-EU countries. Fifteen other EU countries have written to the European Commission to request it look at possible models for similar schemes.

Under the new scheme, migrants sent to Albania will have their asylum claims fast-tracked, and are to be deported if unsuccessful. 

The ambassador did not say when he expected the first migrants to arrive.

Out of sight

Critics, however, have argued that the deal is expensive and pointless. Rights groups say that it violates European and Italian law, as well as United Nations migration guidelines which require those rescued at sea to be taken to the nearest safe port.