MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Italy's Albania deal for irregular migrants fails as judges rule against detention of the asylum seekers

The Italian coast guard vessel that took the illegal migrants back to Brindisi

The UK Boris Johnson solution to address migrants trying to illegally cross to Britain, which was to be implemented through the so-called Rwanda deal but was rejected by the EU and UK courts, did not impede Italy from attempting a similar procedure with neighboring Albania, where migrants wanting to reach Italy were to be screened before any final decision was taken.

Italy has been one of the country's in the Mediterranean which has most suffered the influx of irregular migrants mainly from the north of Africa.

However the first batch of irregular men migrants that were sent to an asylum center in Albania, had to be returned to Italy following a decision from judges who ruled against their detention in the non-EU nation, under the controversial deal between Rome and Tirana.

Sixteen men from Bangladesh and Egypt arrived at the Albanian port of Shengjin on Wednesday, nearly a year after an agreement to house asylum seekers in Italian-run centers in Albania until their cases are handled remotely by Italian judges.

However four of 16 were identified as “vulnerable” and were immediately sent back to Italy.

The remaining 12 on Saturday boarded an Italian coast guard vessel which took them to Brindisi in southern Italy, Albanian port officials said. Earlier, they were escorted by police from a temporary reception centre to Shengjin port, where they boarded the ship.

Conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni signed the controversial deal in November with her Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama.

The five-year agreement, estimated to cost €160 million annually, calls for male asylum seekers intercepted by the Italian navy or coast guard vessels in international waters – but within Italy's search and rescue area – to be held in Albania.

From there, a determination will be made as to which individuals come from so-called “safe” countries, allowing for fast-track repatriation. But on the list are nations that include areas not considered safe.

The Italian government vowed last Friday to push ahead with PM Meloni's flagship project to divert asylum-seekers abroad, saying it would appeal against the legal decision that migrants in reception centres in Albania should be taken to Italy.

A cabinet meeting will be held on Monday to decide on the government's response.

Speaking to reporters during a trip to Lebanon, Meloni called the decision “prejudiced” and said it was up to her government to determine which countries are safe and which are not, suggesting she would draft new rules to address the issue.