Albanian Court Suspends Controversial Italian Migrant Deal

The Albanian Constitutional Court has suspended the controversial migrant agreement between Italy and Albania after the opposition filed a case claiming that the migrant deal violates the constitution and international conventions.

On Wednesday, the top court suspended ratification of a migrant pact agreed with Italy. The request to review the constitutionality of the deal was filed by 30 opposition lawmakers last week. The lawmakers complained about the errors during the negotiation and signing of the migrant deal. 

The opposition lawmakers also requested the suspension of the parliamentary procedures for the pact’s ratification scheduled for December 14.

What to expect?

The top court endorsed the opposition request. The court scheduled its hearing on the issue for January 18. The court reportedly said, “The hearing of the case automatically suspends the ratification procedures in the parliament of the Cooperation Protocol, until the final decision of the Constitutional Court.”

Albanian parliament will also have to suspend ratification of a migrant pact. 

What’s the controversy?

Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, and Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania, announced the deal in November. Under the deal, Italy agreed to build two migrant centers in northwest Albania to host tens of thousands of illegal migrants. 

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that the migrant deal would not apply to pregnant migrant women, migrant children and vulnerable people. 

She said, “I am pleased to announce with Albanian prime minister Edi Rama a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Italy and Albania concerning the management of migration flows.”

The opposition lawmakers said that they were unhappy because Edi Rama had not consulted with them about his decision to make a deal with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The migrant deal was criticized for the lack of transparency and public consultation and over its legal aspect. Now, the pact cannot go to a vote in Albania’s parliament.