The Italy-Albania migration cooperation agreement took center stage at the European Political Community meeting in Budapest, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced today.

“There is a continued, extraordinary level of interest, and I view this focus as extremely positive,” Meloni told reporters in Budapest.

Meloni noted curiosity around the designation of “safe countries” and voiced concerns about limitations on governments’ ability to independently determine these statuses, saying it could hinder efforts to tackle illegal immigration. “This limitation threatens the effectiveness of any attempt to combat illegal migration, and I received solid support on this matter from other leaders,” she said.

European leaders expressed solidarity with Meloni during the informal EU meeting, where discussions also included refugee camps set up in Albania. Meloni confirmed that the transfer of African asylum seekers to Albania would continue, adding that EU officials in Brussels were taken aback by the judiciary’s objections to the safe country listings.

/k.s/