ROME - The Italian Chamber of Deputies has voted in favour of a controversial agreement which would see migrants arriving in Italy be deported to Albania. The plan has fuelled fierce criticism from NGOs and opposition politicians alike, who say the deal violates international humanitarian law.

 Giorgia Meloni, reached an agreement with the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, in November 2023 which would see up to 36,000 migrants housed in Albania. The migrants would be placed in two shelters for up to two years while waiting for Italy to fast-track their asylum requests. Meloni has previously stated that only "non-vulnerable" migrants from "safe and non-violent" countries would be taken to Albania, after undergoing screening aboard Italian naval ships.  

 The agreement passed the Chamber with 155 votes for, 115 votes against and 2 abstentions. Meloni’s Albanian deal will now be voted on by the Senate, where her coalition has a majority.

 Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, previously endorsed the deal, saying it was in line with European Union laws and was a smart example of "out-of-the-box" thinking.  

 However, critics argued that there has been no legislation put in place to ensure that humanitarian organisations will be allowed into the centres. They have also questioned Meloni's ability to ensure that "vulnerable" migrants will not end up in Albania.

 Laura Boldrini, member of the Democratic Party and former spokesperson for southern Europe to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, criticised the agreement, saying it “violates the law and costs a fortune.” The agreement will cost Italy nearly €600 million over the course of five years.

 Maria Elena Boschi of Italia Viva criticised Meloni saying that “the government is campaigning at the expense of Italians.” This sentiment was echoed by Riccardo Magi, of +Europa, who hit out at the deal as a poorly concealed opportunity for Meloni to claim she had solved the problem of immigration before the upcoming European elections.

 The NGO Emergency called the deal "a failure of humanity", noting that the funds could be better spent on creating "legal and safe entry routes" and providing a "dignified reception" for refugees.

 Albania’s constitutional court blocked lawmakers from ratifying the legislation in December, citing a need to review the agreement’s constitutionality. The court’s decision is expected to come as soon as next week.