The Libra is docked at the Sicilian post of Augusta but ready to set sail. The navy vessel, which first took the group of migrants to Albania to a new hosting and repatriation center that Italy has opened in Gjader, established under an agreement between Rome and Tirana, has been awaiting instructions from the interior ministry for several days.

Once the weather permits, it may soon position itself just outside territorial waters, south of the Sicilian island of Lampedusa.

Instructions for ship must be given by interior ministry

The interior ministry will need to coordinate more potential transports once migrant boats approach Italy’s coast.

The opposition Green and Left Alliance (AVS) has presented a parliamentary inquiry over the use of a navy vessel for the transportation of migrants.

"We want to know from the Italian government the imperative reasons that made it necessary to use the military vessel Libra, and at what cost, for the transfer to Albania and the return to Italy. And we also want to know if other naval units have been deployed, in addition to the Libra ship," said AVS.

Meanwhile, a new phase has opened since last Saturday (October 19) when 12 migrants were taken from the new Italian-run hosting center in Albania to the hosting facility for asylum seekers (CARA) in the Puglia city of Bari after their detention in Albania was scrapped by the Rome judges on the grounds that their countries of provenance – Bangladesh and Egypt – could not be considered safe, based on an October 4 sentence by the European Court of Human Rights.

Read AlsoCourt nixes detention of migrants taken to Albania

Repatriated migrants waiting at Bari's CARA centre

The five foreigners – including seven citizens of Bangladesh and five Egyptians – had already seen their asylum applications rejected last Thursday (October 17) with an accelerated procedure issued by the Rome central police department. They now have more than 10 days of time (specifically 14 days from the moment their application is first denied) to appeal the decision.

Their lawyers are already at work on this front.

"In order to be able to talk with my client, I had to appeal to ombudsmen, send several PEC-certified emails to the interior ministry, ask lawmakers to intervene”, said Gennaro Santoro, one of the lawyers in the legal team in charge of the case.

Democratic Party (PD) MP Marco Lacarra visited the CARA center in Bari on Sunday. "The 12 migrants are in good condition," he said, adding however that they were "certainly tried by the experience."

Now the wait time inside the facility could be much longer: the seven citizens of Bangladesh and the five Egyptians maintain the status of ‘asylum seekers’ as they await a final decision from Italian authorities, which will require time.

Read AlsoA look inside the new Italian reception centers in Albania