by InTrieste
Italian authorities on Wednesday transferred about 150 asylum seekers from Trieste’s Old Port to reception facilities in the regions of Piedmont and Veneto, in the latest effort to manage arrivals along the Balkan migration route.
The group, which included around 40 family units, was primarily from Afghanistan and Pakistan, with some from Kosovo. The relocation was coordinated by the Prefecture of Trieste and supported by aid groups including Caritas and Diaconia Valdese.
The transfer follows the 2023 closure of the Silos, an abandoned warehouse that had become an informal camp for migrants. Since then, many asylum seekers have gathered in the Old Port area, often waiting weeks to register their claims.
Aid organizations welcomed the relocation but criticized its emergency-driven approach. “Not everyone has been moved — about 30 people remain on the streets,” said Gianfranco Schiavone of ICS, a refugee support group. “Transfers need to be systematic and regular.”
In November 2024, more than 200 migrants were moved in a similar operation. Local groups say new arrivals continue daily, underscoring the ongoing strain on Italy’s asylum system.
