MEPs from the left-leaning Greens and European Free Alliance (EFA) faced difficulty accessing Italy’s offshore detention facilities in Albania on Monday (29 June), with some staff members denied entry by Italian authorities on site.
The European lawmakers were later barred from inspecting living facilities and cells of the detention premises at Gjadër. Dutch Green MEP Anna Strolenberg said they were met with “excuses” when they attempted to gain access.
“We brought in two people that work with us on this topic, not in the European parliament but outside. I have done that before also the last time I went. This time some of them got refused,” she said.
“They didn’t want us to give us any explanation why they couldn’t enter,” she said, adding the Italian police on site had obstructed access.
Strolenberg said the MEPs had made the journey to Albania to understand whether the offshore centre would be used as a return hub under the newly voted EU return regulations, only to find that it would remain a pre-removal centre for now.
