Italian MEP questions access denial at Albania migrant detention centre

An Italian MEP, Cristina Guarda, has raised concerns about transparency at an offshore migrant detention facility in Albania, according to The Guardian. The delegation was denied access to cells in the detention centre, which has been the site of six suicide attempts. Guarda's questions about whether the government is attempting to "hide the truth" about conditions at the facility highlight ongoing tensions over Italy's migration policies and the treatment of migrants held in the Albanian centre.

The incident reflects broader scrutiny of Italy's use of offshore detention as a migration management strategy. The facility in Albania represents an extension of Italian border control beyond the nation's territorial waters, a practice that sits uneasily within EU frameworks on detention standards and human rights. The denial of access to MEPs—elected representatives entitled to conduct oversight—raises questions about accountability mechanisms and whether conditions at the centre meet EU detention standards.