Italian authorities have confiscated a rescue ship funded by renowned British graffiti artist Banksy, following its involvement in the rescue of 37 people in the Mediterranean Sea. Banksy condemned the seizure as abhorrent and unacceptable, particularly highlighting that the ship had saved 17 unaccompanied minors who were on the verge of drowning. The decision to…
An updated statistical report from the European Union’s asylum agency reveals a decline in asylum applications to EU countries this year compared to 2023. The report also highlights a significant increase in pending first-instance cases, reaching the highest level since the 2015/2016 refugee crisis. The current decline in asylum applications extends the overall trend seen…
The civil court in Crotone, Calabria, overturned the Italian authorities’ decision to administratively detain the maritime rescue ship Humanity 1. The court also ordered the Italian authorities to pay the legal fees. Humanity 1 is operated by SOS Humanity, a German non-governmental organization focused on rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean. Notably, Judge Antonio Albinario issued…
Rescuers discovered ten bodies of migrants on a wooden boat near the island of Lampedusa. Meanwhile, a second boat capsized off the coast of Calabria, leaving many migrants missing. According to UN authorities and a German aid organization, the boat carrying irregular migrants capsized on the Italian coast, resulting in 11 fatalities and numerous missing…
Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, announced that reception centers in Albania, intended for refugees from outside the European Union, will commence operations in August. This follows Italy’s signing of a migration agreement with Albania seven months ago. Meloni made this announcement during a meeting with her Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama, after the completion of the…
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser is closely monitoring Italy’s plans to establish refugee camps in Albania and process asylum applications outside Italy. Similarly, the UK is reviewing its asylum procedures in Rwanda. Faeser told “Stern” magazine that she is keen to see the outcomes of Italy’s efforts in Albania, considering Italy’s model to be intriguing…
Data research from the International Journalists Network, which includes Radio Berlin-Brandenburg, has revealed that the number of missing minors in Europe, who are refugees, has reached 51,000, including more than 2,000 in Germany. The disappearance of young refugees occurs during the waiting period for registration, and the International Journalists Network attributed this to the European…
Italy has officially decided to suspend a key agreement under the European migration policy. It has informed other governments that it will temporarily halt acceptance of the Dublin transfer regulation from European Union countries, which mandates the return of asylum seekers who first arrived in Italy. Italy cited insufficient capacity to accommodate migrants as justification…
The Tunisian Coast Guard announced that about forty Tunisian irregular migrants, who were trying to reach Italy by sea, had been missing for 5 days, while the International Organization for Migration indicated that the number of people who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea while trying to reach Europe increased during the year 2023 by 60…
Italy’s highest court of appeal ruled that it was illegal to return migrants from the sea to Libya. The ruling was welcomed by charitable organizations and human rights groups, which criticized the government for cooperating with the Libyan authorities on migration. The court upheld the conviction of the captain of the Italian tugboat (ASO 28),…
The Albanian Parliament approved an agreement with Italy regarding immigration, which will allow Rome to build two centers in the Balkan country to receive migrants and process asylum requests, while international and human rights organizations criticized it. The Albanian Constitutional Court had previously rejected an appeal by representatives from the opposition Democratic Party against the…
Italian representatives adopted a controversial agreement with Albania to send asylum seekers who survived drowning to closed centers in Tirana while their applications are considered, ignoring with their decision the criticism of non-governmental organizations, international institutions, and the opposition. On Wednesday, February 14, representatives approved the project by a majority of 155 votes to 115…
