Albania's Court Blocks Italy Migrant Deal Amid Legal Concerns

The deal, endorsed by a top EU official, faces opposition and human rights concerns.

Albania's Constitutional Court has temporarily blocked the ratification of a deal with Italy that would see Albania host thousands of migrants arriving in Italy by sea.
The deal, endorsed by a top European Union official, would involve migrants being transferred to Albania by Italian authorities for their asylum requests to be fast-tracked.
Under the agreement, Albania would shelter up to 36,000 migrants for a year, or about 3,000 a month, who try to reach Italy without proper documentation.
The court's decision came after Albania's opposition petitioned the court, arguing that housing migrants this way would deny them rights offered by the Albanian Constitution and would break international law.
The Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights also raised concerns about the deal, stating that it could deprive refugees, asylum seekers and migrants of crucial safeguards.