The Meloni administrationdesignates secure nations of initial origin.
Italy's right-wing leader, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is attempting to salvage her strategy for housing Mediterranean refugees outside the EU with a new decree. Following a court injunction against Italy's right-wing government's plan for Albania, Meloni is making moves to safeguard her asylum structure. At a special meeting in Rome on Monday, the Italian government enacted an amended regulation, which entails identifying future countries of origin that may be designated safe for asylum seekers legally. The list of safe countries has been trimmed down, with three nations removed from the previous roster. Italy is the first nation to adjudicate asylum applications beyond EU borders.
In spite of losing the court case, the three-party coalition in Italy intends to keep operating the two recently opened refugee camps in Albania. According to the daily newspaper "La Repubblica," the list of safe countries of origin will now be determined from the government seat, directly in Meloni's house. There has yet to be an official confirmation of this development.
At present, the Albanian camps are vacant once more. However, it's projected that up to 36,000 asylum applications will be processed annually in the future. A court in Rome ruled that a group of twelve men from Bangladesh and Egypt, who had originally been slated for Albania, should instead be transported to Italy. The reason was that the court deemed neither Bangladesh nor Egypt safe countries of origin, as per a ruling by the European Court of Justice.
EU paying close attention to Albania model
The list of safe countries is established individually in each EU nation. There isn't a shared European list. In Italy, the list comprised 21 states initially, but Nigeria, Cameroon, and Colombia have now been removed - with Egypt and Bangladesh remaining on the list. The list will be updated periodically. Experts are divided on whether the decree will sufficiently address the court's concerns. Meloni had already announced that she would challenge the immigration court's decision, should it be necessary, all the way up to the highest appellate court.
Italy has been battling the refugee influx from Africa across the Mediterranean for several years. Despite a notable decline, over 50,000 individuals have re-emerged on the Italian coast this year, following perilous journeys. Regrettably, fatalities are not an uncommon occurrence during these crossings.
The "Albania model" is being observed by various EU nations. Some capital cities are mulling over adopting Italy's policy towards asylum seekers. A spokesperson for the EU Commission has confirmed contact with Italian authorities regarding the matter. The agreement between Italy and Albania remains within the purview of national law. Simultaneously, it's essential that any actions undertaken by Italy are fully aligned with EU law.
The following shall be added to Italy's asylum structure: a new process for determining safe countries of origin directly from the government seat, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Despite the court's ruling, Italy intends to continue operating the refugee camps in Albania, considering it as a model that may be adopted by other EU nations.
