Italy withdraws staff from Albania's asylum processing centers amid legal challenges
- The Italian government started the withdrawal of its personnel from offshore asylum centers in Albania due to legal obstacles.
- Italian courts have ruled that individuals cannot be processed in these centers, challenging the scheme's legitimacy.
- The future of offshore processing as a method for managing asylum seekers in Europe remains uncertain as courts deliberate.
On November 26, 2024, the Italian government initiated the withdrawal of staff from offshore asylum processing centers located in Albania. This decision follows repeated failures to process asylum applications due to rulings from Italian courts that have consistently prevented the processing of individuals at these centers. The offshore scheme was introduced in October as a strategy to manage asylum seekers without having them set foot in Italy, aiming to bypass European Union asylum regulations. The initiative initially planned to process thousands of applications each month at an expense of approximately $720 million over five years; however, it has become mired in legal challenges from the outset. The Italian courts are currently deliberating whether they can restrict the conditions under which asylum seekers can be sent back to their countries based on safety assessments of those nations. Until a ruling is made, Italian government officials claim the offshore processing program remains in operation, despite the withdrawal of staff and its continuous setbacks. The scheme's difficulties have raised concerns among EU members regarding the viability of offshore processing as a long-term solution for managing irregular migration.