(AP) The Italian government told judges at the European Union’s highest court on Tuesday that its transfers of migrants to asylum processing centers in Albania comply with EU and human rights laws.
The European Court of Justice has fast-tracked a pair of cases brought by two Bangladeshis who had their asylum applications rejected after a single remote hearing from an Albanian detention facility.
The two appealed the decision to a court in Rome, which asked the Luxembourg-based court to clarify EU law.
In 2023, Italy signed a deal with Albania to house up to 3,000 male migrants while their asylum claims are processed. Two purpose-built detention centers will cost Rome 670 million euros ($730 million) over five years and operate under Italian jurisdiction, with Albanian guards providing external security.
