EU Court Questions Italy's 'Safe Countries' List for Migrants

Europe's highest court on Friday raised concerns over Italy's 'safe countries' list, which is used to send migrants to Albania pending asylum decisions, questioning its legality and potentially impacting Italy's migration policy.

Conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni deemed the court's decision 'surprising,' stating it undermines measures to tackle mass illegal immigration and protect national boundaries. The Albanian detentions are central to Italy's stringent immigration strategy and are viewed as a potential model by other European nations.

The initiative faced immediate legal hurdles, with Italian courts reversing the transfer of migrants back to Italy due to EU law issues. The European Court of Justice ruled that Italy can expedite asylum rejections for nationals from 'safe' countries but mandates stringent legal criteria for such classifications.

(With inputs from agencies.)