As per reports, the Italian government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has restarted the Italy-Albania Protocol with modifications that transform the proposed migrant reception centres into offshore deportation centres (CPRs) as of Monday (31 March).
• These centres will exclusively hold migrants already issued deportation orders, while Italy is expected to introduce electronic tracking bracelets for other migrants to prevent their disappearance before deportation.
• The decision follows legal challenges from judges who argued the original protocol violated EU law, despite support from the EU Commission.
• With the anticipated revision of EU migration and deportation laws, Italy expects to implement the plan without further legal barriers.
• The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling on Italy’s list of safe third countries is expected soon and may provide additional legal backing.