Italy's Meloni vows to continue controversial Albania migrant policy
Italy's right-wing government, led by PM Giorgia Meloni, remains committed to operating migrant reception centers in Albania despite recent legal setbacks.
- World
- DPA
- Published Date: 11:22 | 23 December 2024
- Modified Date: 11:22 | 23 December 2024
In a statement following a meeting on Monday between Meloni and several ministers, the government reaffirmed its "firm intention" to continue working on "so-called 'innovative solutions' to the migration phenomenon."
Italian courts have twice thwarted Meloni's policy to have asylum applications from migrants crossing the Mediterranean decided in Albania.
Judges initially justified their rejection of the measure on the basis that the migrants - who were sent to Albania after being picked up in the Mediterranean by Italian ships - were not from safe countries.
Meloni then responded by issue a decree with a list of 19 countries that were declared to be safe.
The Supreme Court last week ruled that judges cannot overrule the government's policy on the categorization of certain countries as safe, although they can challenge the decision on a case-by-case basis.