The Ghost Facilities: Italy’s Albanian Migrant Experiment Stands Empty
One year after Albania’s parliament finalised a landmark Italy Albania migrant deal, the promised processing centres sit vacant and unused. The ambitious plan, which envisioned handling up to 36,000 asylum seekers annually in facilities at Shengjin and Gjader, has yet to house a single migrant successfully. As of February 25, 2025, these centres remain silent monuments to a stalled initiative between political ambition and judicial reality.
Legal Roadblocks Derail Multiple Attempts
Italy’s efforts to activate the agreement have repeatedly hit judicial barriers. The first transfer in October 2024 brought 16 migrants to Albanian shores, only to have a Rome court declare the transfer illegal days later, citing international protection concerns. Undeterred, Italian authorities made subsequent attempts in November and January, bringing first eight and then 49 more asylum seekers. The Rome Court of Appeal intervened each time, halting operations pending a critical European Court of Justice (ECJ) decision expected today.
The Italy-Albania Migrant Deal: What Happens Next?
Life in Gjader village and Shengjin port has returned to normal, but the anticipated migrant influx never materialised. Meanwhile, Italian officials and NGO monitors have withdrawn “until further notice,” leaving the facilities in administrative limbo. ActionAid migration expert Francesco Ferri noted that watchdog organisations remain vigilant from afar: “Our eyes are still on Albania. We’ll return the moment there’s something to see.”
The ECJ ruling expected today may determine whether the Italy-Albania migrant deal will finally become operational or join the ranks of abandoned policy experiments. The decision hinges on whether the migrants’ countries of origin are deemed safe for potential repatriation—a classification that could significantly impact the legal viability of the entire arrangement.
