EU COURT OVERTURNS ITALY'S OFFSHORE MIGRANT CAMP PLANS IN ALBANIA

Europe's top court has questioned the legality of Italy's "safe countries" list, which is used to process migrant asylum claims in Albania, marking a significant blow to the Italian government's migration strategy. The ruling effectively undermines the controversial scheme, which Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had championed as a key measure to curb illegal immigration. While the court acknowledges Italy's right to designate "safe" countries, it emphasized the need for strict legal standards and accessibility for challenges. The decision also clarified that a country might not be deemed "safe" if it fails to protect its entire population. Meloni's office criticized the judgment, viewing it as an overreach that reduces the government's ability to shape migration policy.