Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi stated on Thursday that the government has no plans to remove staff from the Albania migrant centres. This despite reports that the company managing the facilities has begun laying off workers.
The daily newspaper La Repubblica reported that employees were being dismissed due to “a series of contradictory judicial pronouncements that do not conform to the guidelines of the Italian Court of Cassation.”
Italy’s fast-track asylum processing agreement with Albania has faced setbacks in the courts. The centres in Shengjin and Gjader remain empty after Italian judges refused to validate the detention of migrant groups transferred there in October, November, and January.
The government’s scheme, designed to deter migrant departures, has been halted while awaiting a ruling from the European Court of Justice, expected later this month.
Despite legal challenges, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government remains committed to making the Albanian centres operational and is exploring ways to bypass the judicial obstacles.
