Left-wing activist judges in Italy are sabotaging conservative Prime Minister Georgia Meloni’s attempts to remove illegal migrants from the country.
An agreement between Italy and Albania to process illegal migrants offshore has hit a major roadblock, delayed until next summer after an Italian court struck down the Italian government’s recent executive order on the matter. This move comes after the court ordered the return of seven migrants sent to a processing center in Shëngjin, Albania, questioning the Italian government’s authority to designate certain countries as “safe” for deportation.
The migrants, from Egypt and Bangladesh, had been intercepted by the Italian Navy and processed in Albania under the new Italian-Albanian deal. However, the court’s decision to bring them back to Italy aligns with a recent European Court of Justice ruling that questions the safety of these countries. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attempted to override the ruling by declaring a list of “safe” countries, arguing that national governments have the power to designate deportation destinations. But the Italian court pushed back, finding potential conflicts with EU law and seeking further clarification from the European Court.
This ruling has dashed government hopes of quickly processing and deporting migrants through Albanian centers, likely delaying any transfers until the summer. Left-wing politicians and NGOs praised the decision, but Italian ministers reacted with outrage. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini called it a “political sentence” against Italians’ security, while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani argued that judicial interference risks undermining democracy. Billionaire Elon Musk weighed in on X, writing, “These judges need to go.”
Meanwhile, Forza Italia Senator Maurizio Gasparri has called for a judicial review, alleging political motivations in the judiciary’s actions. Silvia Albano, one of the judges involved, accused political figures, including Prime Minister Meloni, of fueling hostility toward her and the judiciary over immigration issues.
