Italian Judges Again Block Detention of Migrants in Albania

A Rome court on Monday asked EU judges to weigh in on the detention of sea migrants in Albania, again frustrating the Italian right-wing government’s efforts to pursue its flagship plan to crackdown on irregular arrivals.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has built migrant camps in Albania to deter Mediterranean crossings, making some of the migrants who arrive from Tunisia or Libya liable to be housed in a third country while their asylum requests are processed.

A group of migrants, from Egypt and Bangladesh, was taken to the Balkan country after being picked up at sea last week. There were initially eight of them, but one was transferred to Italy for health reasons.

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Following the Rome court decision the migrants left the detention centre late on Monday and were being transferred to the southern Italian port of Brindisi {snip}

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“Another political ruling not against the government, but against Italians and their security,” said Matteo Salvini, a deputy prime minister and leader of the anti-immigrant League party.

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