Key facts
- European Parliament members were prevented from conducting a full inspection of an Italian-run migrant detention center in Gjadër, Albania.
- MEPs from the Greens/EFA group stated that facility staff obstructed their access to cells and refused to answer questions or provide data.
- The Gjadër facility is part of a controversial offshore migration agreement between Italy and Albania, established in November 2023.
- The agreement, which applies to adult men intercepted at sea, has faced legal challenges and lower-than-expected occupancy rates.
- The visit follows the recent adoption of a new EU Return Regulation, which critics argue may exacerbate issues observed at the center.
Members of the European Parliament from the Greens/EFA group reported being prevented from conducting a full inspection of an Italian-run migrant detention center in Gjadër, Albania. The delegation stated that facility staff obstructed their access to cells, refused to answer questions, and withheld data during their visit on Monday.
Tineke Strik, a Greens/EFA MEP on the visit, described the experience as "disappointing and disgraceful," noting that detainees faced difficulties with asylum claims and saw "no way out of a failed system."
The Gjadër facility is part of a controversial offshore migration agreement between Italy and Albania, signed in November 2023. Under the protocol, one center at Shëngjin port handles screening, while Gjadër processes asylum claims and detains individuals pending repatriation. The scheme exclusively applies to adult men intercepted in international waters by Italian vessels and is estimated to cost Italy around €160 million annually.
However, the scheme has been plagued by legal and logistical challenges. Italian courts have repeatedly blocked transfers, and the European Court of Justice issued a ruling clarifying rules on designating safe countries of origin. The Gjadër facility, initially intended as both an asylum processing and pre-return center, is now primarily used for detention, holding approximately 620 people since its repurposing. The IRC previously warned that conditions there, including widespread mental health issues and limited access to communication, should not serve as a model for EU policy.
The MEPs' visit comes as the EU adopts a new, controversial Return Regulation, which critics argue entrenches the problems witnessed at the Albanian center. The Council of Europe has also reinterpreted articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, a move welcomed by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as recognition of the "innovative solutions" of the Rome-Tirana agreement.