The 2026 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism has been awarded to Italian journalist Giacomo Zandonini and Dutch journalist Maite Vermeulen for their investigation into the Italy–Albania migration agreement.
The 18-month investigation, published in De Correspondent, revealed that the agreement aims to intercept people attempting to enter Italy, transfer them to an Italian-built detention centre in Albania and fast-track the rejection of their asylum applications.
The report traces the origins of the agreement and examines why several EU countries consider it an “innovative model” for the future of European migration policy.
The agreement entered into force on 23 February 2024, and the Italian government has allocated more than €670 million for its implementation through 2028.
The journalists traced financial flows and interviewed staff at the centres, detained migrants, lawyers, lawmakers, government representatives and Albanian residents. They reported facing significant obstacles throughout their investigation, including being denied access to the Italian-run centres in Albania. Key information, such as the number of detainees, also remained confidential.
Expenditure was processed through emergency procedures, bypassing standard public procurement rules, while staff were required to sign confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements.
The agreement entered into force on 23 February 2024, and the Italian government has allocated more than €670 million for its operation through 2028.
Source: European Parliament
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