Key facts
- European Parliament members from the Greens/EFA group visited a migrant center in Gjadër, Albania.
- Lawmakers reported being denied full access to cells and data at the center.
- The facility is run by Italy and located in Albania.
- The center is part of an agreement between Italy and Albania.
- The agreement involves processing migrants outside of EU territory.
Members of the European Parliament belonging to the Greens/EFA group reported being blocked from conducting a thorough inspection of an Italian-run migrant detention center located in Gjadër, Albania. According to the lawmakers, they were denied full access to inspect the cells and review data within the facility. This center is a key component of a controversial migration agreement established between Italy and Albania. The deal allows Italy to process migrants intercepted at sea on Albanian soil, outside of the European Union's borders. The reported denial of access to parliamentary observers has fueled concerns regarding the transparency and accountability of the operations at the Gjadër facility. The Greens/EFA group's inability to gain complete oversight raises further questions about the conditions faced by migrants held at the center and the adherence to international human rights standards. The agreement itself has been subject to significant criticism from various human rights organizations and political factions within the EU, who argue it circumvents asylum laws and shifts responsibility for migrant processing to a non-EU country. The incident during the MEPs' visit is likely to intensify these debates and calls for greater scrutiny of the Italy-Albania migration pact.