Romania joins call for EU-funded migrant return hubs outside bloc

Romania is among 19 European Union member states asking the European Commission to allocate funding for the creation of migrant return centres to be located outside the EU, amid a broader tightening of the bloc’s migration policy, Agerpres reported.

The request follows decisions taken by EU interior ministers on December 8, when they adopted a series of legislative texts aimed at more strictly regulating the arrival of migrants and accelerating the return of those whose asylum applications have been rejected. The measures pave the way for the establishment of so-called “return hubs”, facilities outside the EU where rejected asylum seekers could be transferred while awaiting repatriation.

In a joint position addressed to the European Commission, the 19 signatory states urged Brussels to move swiftly from political agreement to implementation, including by providing the necessary financial resources to support the new approach.

Alongside Romania, the initiative is backed by Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Malta, Bulgaria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, Cyprus, Greece, and Croatia.

(Photo source: Politiadefrontiera.ro)