Italy Reduces Staffing at Controversial Migrant Centers in Albania

The move follows legal setbacks for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's plan to process asylum claims outside EU borders.

Italy has withdrawn most personnel from migrant processing centers in Albania just six weeks after their launch, leaving only seven staff from the operator Medihospes on-site.
The centers, which remain operational, will continue to be staffed by some Albanian workers, medical personnel, and an undisclosed number of Italian police officers.
The reduction comes after Italian courts twice ruled against the detention of migrants in the centers, forcing their transfer to Italy.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government had aimed to process asylum claims outside the EU in a faster procedure under Italian law, making Italy the first EU country to attempt such a model.
The so-called 'Albania model' has faced significant criticism but is being closely monitored by other European governments as a potential precedent.