Albanian constitutional court suspends the agreement with Italy on migrants. But for von der Leyen it is “in line with EU law”

Brussels – The deal is on hold. On the eve of a European Council that was already shaping up to be very tight – to the point that it could stretch into the weekend – with Italy in the forefront of securing an additional 15 billion euros for migration from the Union’s multi-year budget, Giorgia Meloni and Ursula von der Leyen are cashing in on a major blow coming from Tirana.

The gaffe materialized within minutes, and within minutes of the Italian premier’s arrival in Brussels for the summit with the Balkan countries. Reinvigorated first by the total support that the president of the European Commission had just expressed in the now customary pre-summit letter to the heads of state and government, defeated a moment later by the news that the Albanian Constitutional Court has suspended the ratification of the agreement signed on November 6 for the construction of two repatriation centers on its national territory.

A defeat for Meloni, and also an embarrassment for von der Leyen as well. Who had just called the agreement “an example of thinking outside the box based on a fair sharing of responsibilities with third countries, in line with obligations under European and international law.” Meloni had immediately communicated her satisfaction with these words. But immediately came the unexpected stop, because the arrangement could instead violate the Albanian Constitution, as supported by the two appeals filed by the Albanian Democratic Party and 28 other deputies siding with former center-right premier Sali Berisha and upheld by the Supreme Court. In doing so, the Tirana judges automatically suspended the ratification procedure of the agreement in Parliament, which was scheduled for tomorrow (Dec. 14). The appeal will be heard on January 18.

Von der Leyen with Meloni on additional funds for migration

​The EU leader also stands by Meloni regarding the priorities on which to allocate the additional 65.8 billion euros envisioned from the Union’s revised multi-year budget. If Ukraine is not touched, it can also not skip the 15 billion for migration. Von der Leyen made this clear on two different occasions: in her letter to the 27 Member States and a few hours earlier in the Strasbourg hemicycle. After raising the bar on anti-smuggling and external border management, and with agreement on the new Migration and Asylum Pact “ever closer,” von der Leyen said, “now a greater ambition must be backed by adequate funding at the European level.” A warning directed in particular at the frugal countries, led by the Netherlands, which – as diplomatic sources confirm – would be willing to reopen their wallets only for the 17 billion to be guaranteed to Kyiv. While for all others, they are ready to grant only a reallocation of current funds. Not only for migration but also for another thorny issue: covering the costs of higher interest rates on NextgenerationEu loans. “We know that national public finances are under pressure, all of us will face difficult choices, and we must leave no stone unturned,” the EU leader added in her address to the European Parliament. Because to “protect external borders, implement the Pact and cement partnerships with third countries adequate financial resources are essential.“