The Italian government approves tightening legislation on “safe countries” for the repatriation of illegal immigrants
The government of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni approved a decree on Monday to strengthen its legislation on “safe countries” for repatriation, following last week’s ruling by a Rome court that declared the detention of illegal immigrants transferred from Italy to Albania unlawful.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi detailed in a press conference that 19 countries are now included on the list, with three being removed: Cameroon, Colombia, and Nigeria, according to the AndKronos news agency.
The Prime Minister warned shortly before that her government will continue working “tirelessly” to defend borders and restore what she considers a “fundamental” principle, under which “entry into Italy is only legal,” just days after a Rome court delivered the first judicial setback to the agreement with Albania to transfer asylum seekers.
Meloni reiterated her roadmap in a statement in which she applauded a “brilliant operation” by Italian security forces against a human trafficking network, which led to the arrest of 13 individuals.
“It is a priority to fight those who exploit people’s legitimate desire for better living conditions to increase their profits,” stated the Prime Minister, referring to these networks as “21st-century slavers.”
The head of government had already criticized the court ruling issued on Friday, which resulted in the return to Italy of the first group of illegal immigrants transferred to Albania. The ruling questioned whether the countries of origin of these individuals, specifically Egypt and Bangladesh, could be considered safe, as the Italian authorities claim.
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio explained in an interview with La Repubblica that what now needs to be corrected is the definition of a safe country, a matter that, in his view, “cannot be the responsibility of the judiciary.” In this regard, he argued that it should stem from a “political assessment.”