Spanish
The Cypriot presidency of the Council of the EU opened this Thursday in Nicosia an informal meeting of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs with the tightening of migration policy, the reinforcement of deportations and the protection of Schengen on the agenda, while Germany is simultaneously promoting talks to create return centers outside Europe.
"The ministers at today's meeting will address how to safeguard Schengen while avoiding secondary movements. Schengen is based on trust and shared responsibility," said Cypriot Minister of Justice and Public Order, Costas Fitiris, to the press.
The meeting will address deportations and voluntary returns and the prevention of secondary migration (between different EU countries), as well as a section dedicated to possible expulsions and voluntary returns to Afghanistan and Syria.
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Afghanistan, governed by the Taliban, and Syria, under a new Islamist regime after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in 2024, continue to record episodes of violence and serious reports of abuse and repression, according to human rights organizations and the UN. Amnesty International and organizations such as UNHCR warn of the risk of violating international law and have criticized deportations to both countries due to the danger of torture or ill-treatment. Attention in Nicosia is also focused on a parallel meeting driven by the German Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, to locate possible return centers in third countries, with the idea of transferring migrants who enter irregularly to facilities outside the bloc, an idea rejected by the Spanish government. Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark and Greece, with the participation of the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Magnus Brunner, have formed a "working group" to draw up a roadmap and start looking for locations for those centers, explained the German minister. Dobrindt defended upon his arrival at the meeting "innovative models" that seek to "put more order" in the migratory system and expressed his intention that this group can close this year possible agreements with third countries.This task, the minister stressed, cannot fall solely on the European Commission, although it will be done in coordination with Brussels.
Dobrindt avoided pointing out this Thursday the specific countries with which they are considering having contacts. He also defended the strengthening of voluntary return programs and stated that in Germany more than 4,000 people have been supported to voluntarily return to Syria, a program that he intends to expand, while demanding that the Commission get involved in the reconstruction of Syria so that there are "perspectives" for return. For his part, Austria's Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, pointed out that the Cypriot presidency has focused on voluntary returns and expulsions, and stressed that Syria and Afghanistan will be "at the center" of today's talks. The Austrian newspaper 'Der Standard' reported in December that Austria has explored in Uganda, in East Africa, the installation of centers for rejected asylum seekers. This country also appears in the plans of the Netherlands to establish deportation centers in third countries.
