Gambiaj.com – (ROME, Italia) – An Italian appeals court on Friday halted the planned expulsion of 43 asylum seekers detained in Albania under a controversial migration agreement, marking another legal setback for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government. Among those affected are Gambian nationals, raising concerns over the implications for West African migrants caught in Europe’s shifting immigration policies.

The migrants, whose asylum claims had already been rejected, were transferred to Albania on Tuesday aboard an Italian naval vessel. However, after legal challenges, they will now be brought back to Italy as the case heads to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. A ruling is expected on February 25, potentially influencing Italy’s broader migration strategy.

This decision marks the third time Italian courts have rejected Meloni’s attempt to process asylum seekers beyond the European Union’s borders. The ruling underscores tensions between Italy’s judiciary and the government over the handling of migrants, echoing previous legal battles over repatriation policies.

The asylum seekers, originating from Bangladesh, Egypt, Ivory Coast, and The Gambia, were among 49 people transferred to Albania under a five-year deal signed between Rome and Tirana. The agreement, which allows Italy to process up to 3,000 migrants monthly outside EU borders, has faced criticism from human rights groups but has drawn interest from other European nations.

Italy, a primary entry point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, has already recorded 3,704 arrivals in 2024 as of January 27—more than double the figure from the same period last year. Many of these migrants, including Gambians, embark on dangerous journeys in search of better opportunities, only to face legal and bureaucratic hurdles upon arrival.

With the European Court of Justice now set to weigh in, the outcome could reshape Italy’s migration policies and set a precedent for how EU nations handle asylum seekers beyond their borders.