The European Union is considering Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan among ten countries where deportation centers for migrants denied asylum could be established. Politico reported, citing European diplomats.
According to the report, the EU plans to propose that eight to ten non-EU countries host centers for migrants whose asylum applications in Europe have been rejected. One of the sources told the publication that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan could become partners of the European Union in the process of deporting undocumented migrants to third countries.
The article notes that the initiative to create such «Return Hubs» is being developed jointly by the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Greece. At the same time, EU member states are reluctant to publicly identify potential negotiating partners because of controversy surrounding a migrant deportation center project in Rwanda, as well as legal disputes over a similar agreement between Italy and Albania, Politico said.
In March, the initiative, which significantly tightens the European Union’s immigration policy, was approved by the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and later by the full European Parliament.
At the end of May, the European Parliament and representatives of EU member states agreed on the creation of deportation centers for undocumented migrants in third countries.
