ECJ says hearing on countries of safe origin in February

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 3 - The European Court of Justice said Tuesday a hearing was "indicatively" set for February in the issue of countries of safe origin raised by recent Italian courts' nixing of the detention of the first small batches of migrants sent to processing centres in Albania in Italy's innovative but controversial new deterrence policy.
    Twelve preliminary references on the subject of the designation of countries of safe origin are currently pending before the EU Court of Justice, presented by various Italian courts, the ECJ said.
    No case has been assigned the special urgent procedure.
    Ten referrals have been suspended pending the Court's ruling on two cases that have been joined and will be dealt with under an accelerated procedure.
    The hearing for the discussion of the parties is scheduled for approximately February 2025, the Court in Luxembourg said.
    Premier Giorgia Melonis' flagship migrant policy, which critics say will cover just 2% of arrivals and will be exorbitantly expensive but which has brought praise and interest from European Commissions President Ursual von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, among others, has so far been stymied by the courts.
    Elon Musk, the world's richest man and President-elect Donald Trump new efficiency czar, spurred claims of meddling by saying "these judges must go".
    Musk, a personal friend of Meloni's, said he was entitled to voice his opinion and was defended by former hardline anti-migrant interior minister Matteo Salvini, the current deputy premier and transport minister, who is facing six years in jail for 'kidnapping' migrants five years ago. (ANSA).