SHENGJIN: An Italian navy ship on Saturday took back to Italy the first 12 migrants from newly opened asylum processing centers in Albania following a court decision in Rome.
The court ruling on Friday represents an early stumbling block to a five-year deal between Italy and Albania for Tirana to host 3,000 migrants per month picked up by the Italian coast guard. They will be vetted for possible asylum in Italy or to be sent back to their countries.
Italian Premier Minister Giorgia Meloni has hailed it as a new “model” to handle illegal migration.
The court in Rome rejected the detention of 12 of the migrants, arguing they cannot be sent back to their countries or origin — Bangladesh and Egypt — because the court did not deem them to be safe enough.
The Italian navy ship took the 12 from the port of Shengjin, 66 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of the capital Tirana. After arriving there this week, the four other migrants had already been rejected by center staff, two as vulnerable after undergoing health checks and two for being minors.
Each migrant’s detention must be reviewed by special migration courts in Italy under Italian law.
Meloni slammed the judges following the ruling, and said that deeming countries such as Bangladesh and Egypt unsafe means that virtually all migrants would be barred from the Albania program, making it unworkable. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the government would appeal the ruling.
Speaking to reporters during a trip to Lebanon, Meloni said she would convene a Cabinet meeting Monday to discuss the issue.
“We’ll meet to approve some norms that will allow us to overcome this obstacle,” Meloni said. “I believe it’s up to the government and not magistrates to establish which countries can be considered safe.”
Although Bangladesh and Egypt are not at war or facing any large refugee crises, the Rome judges said their decision was based on recent international rulings that consider discrimination or persecution in even a part of a country as grounds for such a determination.
Italy has agreed to welcome those migrants who are granted asylum, while those whose applications are rejected face deportation directly from Albania.
The controversial agreement to outsource the housing of asylum-seekers to a non-EU member country has been hailed by some countries that, like Italy, are experiencing a high level of migrant arrivals.
The agreement was endorsed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as an example of “out-of-box thinking” in tackling the issue of migration into the European Union.
Human rights organizations considered it as setting a dangerous precedent.
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First migrants sent to Albania for processing are returned to Italy
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First migrants sent to Albania for processing are returned to Italy
EU, India successfully conclude major trade deal: New Delhi
- Indian government officials say the pact, which was two decades in the making, will be unveiled Tuesday
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa appear as guests of honor at India’s Republic Day parade
NEW DELHI: India and the European Union have finalized a massive free trade deal, Indian government officials said on Monday, about two decades after negotiations were first launched.
Facing challenges from China and the United States, Brussels and New Delhi have sought closer ties, producing a pact that is to be unveiled in the Indian capital on Tuesday.
Feted Monday as guests of honor at India’s Republic Day parade, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa are to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a summit.
“Official level negotiations are being concluded and both sides are all set to announce the successful conclusion” of talks at the Tuesday summit, Indian commerce secretary Rajesh Agrawal told AFP.
The EU has eyed India — the world’s most populous nation — as an important market for the future, while New Delhi sees the European bloc as an important source of much-needed technology and investment to rapidly upscale its infrastructure and create millions of new jobs.
’Mother of all deals’
Bilateral trade in goods reached 120 billion euros ($139 billion) in 2024, an increase of nearly 90 percent over the past decade, according to EU figures, with a further 60 billion euros ($69 billion) in trade in services.
India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has described the new pact as “the mother of all deals.”
“Final negotiations have been focused and fruitful, and we are now very optimistic that we will land this historic trade deal,” an EU official said Monday speaking on condition of anonymity.
Under the agreement, India is expected to ease market access for key European products, including cars and wine, in return for easier exports of textiles and pharmaceuticals, among other things.
“The EU stands to gain the highest level of access ever granted to a trade partner in the traditionally protected Indian market,” von der Leyen said on Sunday, adding that she expected exports to India to double.
“We will gain a significant competitive advantage in key industrial and agri-good sectors.”
Talks went down to the wire on Monday, focusing on a few sticking points, including the impact of the EU’s carbon border tax on steel, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
The accord comes as both Brussels and New Delhi have sought to open up new markets in the face of US tariffs and Chinese export controls.
India and the EU were also expected to conclude an accord to facilitate movement for seasonal workers, students, researchers and highly skilled professionals, and a security and defense pact.
“India and Europe have made a clear choice. The choice of strategic partnership, dialogue and openness,” von der Leyen wrote on social media. “We are showing a fractured world that another way is possible.”
New Delhi, which has relied on Moscow for key military hardware for decades, has tried to cut its dependence on Russia in recent years by diversifying imports and pushing its own domestic manufacturing base.
Europe is doing the same with regard to the United States.
Facing challenges from China and the United States, Brussels and New Delhi have sought closer ties, producing a pact that is to be unveiled in the Indian capital on Tuesday.
Feted Monday as guests of honor at India’s Republic Day parade, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa are to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a summit.
“Official level negotiations are being concluded and both sides are all set to announce the successful conclusion” of talks at the Tuesday summit, Indian commerce secretary Rajesh Agrawal told AFP.
The EU has eyed India — the world’s most populous nation — as an important market for the future, while New Delhi sees the European bloc as an important source of much-needed technology and investment to rapidly upscale its infrastructure and create millions of new jobs.
’Mother of all deals’
Bilateral trade in goods reached 120 billion euros ($139 billion) in 2024, an increase of nearly 90 percent over the past decade, according to EU figures, with a further 60 billion euros ($69 billion) in trade in services.
India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has described the new pact as “the mother of all deals.”
“Final negotiations have been focused and fruitful, and we are now very optimistic that we will land this historic trade deal,” an EU official said Monday speaking on condition of anonymity.
Under the agreement, India is expected to ease market access for key European products, including cars and wine, in return for easier exports of textiles and pharmaceuticals, among other things.
“The EU stands to gain the highest level of access ever granted to a trade partner in the traditionally protected Indian market,” von der Leyen said on Sunday, adding that she expected exports to India to double.
“We will gain a significant competitive advantage in key industrial and agri-good sectors.”
Talks went down to the wire on Monday, focusing on a few sticking points, including the impact of the EU’s carbon border tax on steel, according to sources familiar with the discussions.
The accord comes as both Brussels and New Delhi have sought to open up new markets in the face of US tariffs and Chinese export controls.
India and the EU were also expected to conclude an accord to facilitate movement for seasonal workers, students, researchers and highly skilled professionals, and a security and defense pact.
“India and Europe have made a clear choice. The choice of strategic partnership, dialogue and openness,” von der Leyen wrote on social media. “We are showing a fractured world that another way is possible.”
New Delhi, which has relied on Moscow for key military hardware for decades, has tried to cut its dependence on Russia in recent years by diversifying imports and pushing its own domestic manufacturing base.
Europe is doing the same with regard to the United States.
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