Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, recently addressed the pressing issue of illegal immigration that has become a complex challenge for multiple EU countries. Speaking to the Italian Senate on October 15, she highlighted Italy’s new policy aimed at transferring migrants to a newly established reception center in Albania, asserting that this approach serves as a model for addressing immigration and could inspire other EU nations to take similar steps.

Meloni indicated that many European leaders have shown interest in Italy’s pragmatic and efficient management of illegal immigration. On October 14, Italy transferred its first group of 16 migrants to the new center in Albania, marking a significant move in Italy’s strategy to relocate thousands of undocumented migrants to non-EU territories.

However, this new policy has sparked protests from various human rights organizations. According to the Italian news agency ANSA, the rescue group Sea-Watch has criticized the government’s offshore migrant centers, labeling them as “concentration camps” and accusing the Italian coast guard of engaging in “human trafficking.” In response, Meloni fiercely condemned Sea-Watch, calling their actions “shameful.”

Politico reported that Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, expressed her support for establishing “return hubs” outside the EU in a letter to European leaders on October 14. She emphasized the need to learn from the Italy-Albania agreement as it starts to take effect.

Euronews noted that with the rise of right-wing political forces across Europe, von der Leyen’s endorsement of offshore centers for repatriating illegal migrants might indicate a potential shift toward more conservative immigration policies within the EU.

The European Council is set to hold a summit in Brussels on October 17 and 18, where immigration is expected to be a key topic of discussion among the leaders of EU member states.