Albania centres archivos

Albanian migrant processing centres (or return hubs) for migrants landing illegally in Italy. A recent decree is allowing one of them to be used as a CPR Credit: Getty Images

EU endorses third-country migrant return hubs

March 27, 2026March 27, 2026Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

The European Parliament has endorsed the creation of offshore migrant return hubs outside EU territory, exactly the model Italy pioneered with its controversial Albania deal. Meloni is celebrating, but her own centres have been frozen by the courts for months, and the price tag has soared to seven times the equivalent cost in Italy itself.

Libra takes first 16 migrants to be processed in Albania Credit: https://www.seaforces.org/ The Libra is back in action taking migrants to Albania under a new repatriation scheme

Italy transfers 40 migrants under new repatriation scheme

April 11, 2025April 11, 2025Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

Italy has begun transferring migrants to a repurposed facility in Albania, marking the first official use of the site in Gjader since a government decree reclassified its function. The new repatriation scheme reclassifies the Albanian centres as CPRs for irregular migrants.

albania migrant centres from which 49 asylum seekers were returned last night

Third set of asylum seekers returned from Albania

February 2, 2025February 2, 2025Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

The 43 asylum seekers taken to Albania under Italy’s new fast-track processing scheme arrived in Bari on Saturday night. The Rome appeals court did not validate their detention in the Italian-run facility in Albania.

The Italian Naval patrol boat in Shengjin. It took 49 migrants to Albania for asylum processing.

Italy Transfers Rescued Migrants to Albania

January 28, 2025January 28, 2025Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

The Italian Navy’s Cassiopea reached the Albanian port of Shengjin at 7:30 AM on Tuesday. It carried 49 migrants to Albania who were rescued over the weekend in international waters south of Sicily’s Lampedusa island.