Overview
- The EU court’s advocate general, Nicholas Emiliou, issued an opinion Thursday saying Italy’s migrant return and detention centers in Albania can comply with EU law if robust protections are guaranteed.
- Required safeguards include access to lawyers and interpreters, the ability to contact family and authorities, schooling and medical care for children and vulnerable people, and fast judicial review of any detention.
- Emiliou said asylum seekers are generally expected to stay in an EU country during their claim, yet those already held in Albania would not gain an automatic right to return if they can reach a court quickly.
- The test cases involve a Tunisian and an Algerian transferred from Italy to the Gjader site, after which Italy’s Court of Cassation asked the EU judges to assess the legality of the transfers.
- The opinion is non‑binding and a final ruling is expected in the coming months, which could determine how Italy proceeds with plans to open the Albania sites around mid‑2026.