19 EU States Push for Migrant Centers Abroad

A majority of EU member states, including Slovakia, have called for the rapid establishment of migrant return centers outside the European Union for people who do not have the right to remain in the bloc, according to The Guardian.

In a letter initiated by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, 19 countries urged EU institutions to make full use of new legislative tools and accelerate the creation of such facilities.

The signatories also called for EU financial support and the involvement of international organisations, including the International Organization for Migration.

Notably, Germany, France and Spain did not join the initiative.

The appeal comes after EU lawmakers approved new rules earlier this month aimed at speeding up the return of migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected. The legislation also creates a legal framework for establishing return centers outside the EU.

Although several member states have held discussions with potential partner countries in Africa, no concrete agreements have yet been announced.

The centers would be used to accommodate migrants awaiting deportation to their countries of origin.

The proposal builds on the revised cooperation model between Italy and Albania. Following a series of legal disputes, migrants subject to deportation orders are now being held in Albanian facilities rather than having their asylum claims processed there.

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