A special immigration court in Rome ruled that the 12 migrants, sent to the camp at Gjader not far from the Adriatic coast in northern Albania, should be brought back to Italy because they were from countries considered unsafe to be returned to.

Petillo also referred to Britain backing away from its controversial and expensive plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as ultimately unworkable. Italy’s center-left opposition quickly called for an end to the Albania plan, saying the court ruling proves its illegality.

The Italian government vowed on Friday to push ahead with its contested plan to divert asylum-seekers abroad, saying it would appeal against a court's ruling that a group of migrants in reception centres in Albania should be taken to Italy.

An Italian navy ship has taken back to Italy the first 12 migrants from newly opened asylum processing centers in Albania following a court decision in Rome

A court in Italy has ruled against the right-wing government’s move to detain 12 migrants at newly opened centers in Albania

PARIS/ROME (Reuters) -French Prime Minister Michel Barnier said on Friday that the type of deal Italy has struck to divert asylum-seekers to Albania for processing would not likely be feasible in France.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni vowed to push ahead with a contentious plan to send asylum seekers to Albania after a court in Rome raised objections.Earlier this week, an Italian naval vessel delivered the first group of asylum seekers to Albania as part of a controversial deal signed by Italy and Albania last year.