Albania’s parliament delays contested migrant agreement ratification

Albania postpones vote on migrant deal with Italy due to pending court documents, sparking debate over territorial sovereignty and EU compliance

Albania’s parliament postponed a vote on ratifying a contentious migrant deal with Italy on Thursday, awaiting documents from the Constitutional Court, which recently approved the plan.

The agreement, criticized by opposition and rights groups, involves Italy constructing migrant processing centers in Albania’s territory.

Lawmakers from Albania’s Democratic Party challenged the deal in court. While the parliament was set to ratify the agreement on Thursday, the vote was delayed until all court documents were available.

Under the November deal, Italy, an EU member, would establish two camps in Albania, screening migrants upon arrival and processing asylum applications.

The plan sparked debate over its constitutionality, as opponents argued it ceded territory and state power to another country.

Despite the court’s rejection of this claim, the project draws parallels with the British government’s asylum plan involving Rwanda, which faced legal challenges. Brussels, however, stated that Italy’s plans comply with EU law.

Source: Newsroom

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