Lawmakers from the Greens and the European Free Alliance (EFA) encountered significant difficulties while attempting to visit Italy’s offshore detention facilities in Gjadër, Albania, on Monday, 29 June. During the visit, Italian authorities blocked several staff members from entering the site entirely.
European parliamentarian Anna Strolenberg, representing the Dutch Greens, stated that the delegation was met with vague excuses when requesting access to the living quarters and detention cells. According to Strolenberg, the delegation was accompanied by two professional colleagues who are not affiliated with the European Parliament but have supported their work on migration issues. Despite having successfully visited the facility with similar personnel in the past, they were refused entry this time without any clear explanation from the Italian police on-site, who were accused of actively obstructing the inspection.
The visiting MEPs initially journeyed to Albania to determine if the site would function as a return hub under newly adopted EU return regulations, though they observed that it currently operates solely as a pre-removal center. Strolenberg expressed skepticism regarding whether the facility’s purpose would shift in the near future. Although Italian law governs the territory where the center is located—originally intended for asylum processing—it is now operating as a detention hub for individuals awaiting deportation, and the lawmakers noted a clear attempt by officials to prevent them from conducting a thorough investigation.
Beyond the refusal to allow staff members inside, the MEPs were also blocked from speaking directly with detainees in their living spaces. Strolenberg highlighted the dire situation of many individuals held there, noting that she encountered a boy who had engaged in self-harm. She stated that many detainees have lived in Italy for a decade and arrived as unaccompanied minors, only to be moved to the offshore camp. The delegation reported that suicide attempts are not uncommon, and they witnessed signs of self-harm among the detainees. Many individuals appear to be trapped in a state of confusion, with some even denied the legal opportunity to lodge formal asylum requests.
Tineke Strik, a Dutch MEP and coordinator for the Greens in the European Committee on Civil Liberties, stated that the system established under the Italy-Albania agreement is failing, and cautioned against using it as a blueprint for EU-funded detention centers. The Gjadër facility has faced numerous legal challenges and has drawn scrutiny due to its high operational costs, which, according to an ActionAid Italy report from last July, are seven times higher than the expenses required to maintain similar facilities within Italy.
