Albania’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the deal signed with Italy to allow the processing of migrants picked up in the Mediterranean by Italy in the northern coastal town of Shëngjin is in line with the constitution.
The decision was taken with five votes in favour and four against, paving the way for the deal to be ratified in parliament despite objections from the opposition, who do not have a majority.
On November 6, 2023, Prime Minister Edi Rama and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni signed in Rome the agreement for the creation in Albania of two centres for housing immigrants.
Italian authorities would bring asylum seekers to Albania, where their asylum applications would be processed locally. Two closed centres guarded by Albanian and Italian authorities and under the sovereignty of Rome would process up to 3000 applicants a month.
On December 13, the Constitutional Court considered the request made by 30 deputies of the Berisha-Bardhi opposition group regarding the agreement, which they considered unconstitutional.
The consideration of the request by the Constitutional Court automatically brought the suspension of the ratification of the agreement in the Assembly, which was planned to be done in the plenary session of December 14.
“First, it assessed that the Protocol on Migration does not set territorial borders nor does it change the territorial integrity of the Republic of Albania, so it does not constitute an agreement that has to do with the territory in the physical aspect,” it ruled.
“Secondly, the Constitutional Court assessed that in the two areas where the Migration Protocol operates, Albanian law is applied, in addition to Italian law,” it added.
The deal has been criticised by local and international NGOs and legal experts who say it’s not in line with international law or legislation regarding migration and asylum.
The Albanian government has maintained the initiative will be conducted in line with all laws, and migrants will be deported from Albania by Italy once a decision on their application, either positive or negative, has been made.
(Alice Taylor | Euractiv.com)
Read more with Euractiv
New post-Brexit customs checks spark UK border worriesThe UK will finally roll out post-Brexit border checks Wednesday (30 January) on food, plant and animal products imported from the EU, fanning fears of more price hikes, empty shelves and even Valentine’s Day flower shortages.
Source: euractiv.com
