Spain rejects deportation centers outside the EU

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Madrid – The Government of Spain has rejected the proposal of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, that the European Union explore “possible ways” to create deportation centers for irregular migrants outside the community while their cases are resolved in the EU.

“Spain has expressed its position against considering the creation of such centers in third countries. The migration policies we are developing are already working,” said the government’s spokesperson and Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sports of the Government of Spain, Pilar Alegría, this Tuesday at the press conference following the Council of Ministers.

The spokesperson of the Spanish Government emphasized that they will “continue defending in Europe that humanitarian and supportive application of the Migration and Asylum Pact.” “And, obviously, moreover, Spain will continue working on that path that bets on those regular and safe migration routes and working with those countries of origin and transit and working against that mafia that traffics people,” she asserted.

Von der Leyen, who will bring the proposal to the EU leaders’ summit on Thursday, opens up to solutions she defines as “innovative” to move towards creating deportation centers to relocate irregular migrants outside of the EU who have already arrived on European soil, while their files are processed, despite this option having already been discarded in the past by Brussels for colliding with asylum seekers’ rights.

Now, Von der Leyen evokes as an example in her letter to EU leaders the agreement negotiated by the Italian government of Giorgia Meloni with Albania to open centers in this country to transfer migrants who have already applied for asylum in Italy while their requests are processed. “With the start of protocol operations between Italy and Albania, we can draw lessons from this experience in practice,” the President of the Commission maintains.

In any case, the conservative German also points out that to move forward in this area, her Executive will also address, over the course of the “next year,” the revision of the definition of “safe third country,” a matter also controversial due to the divisions it generates within the 27 but which Von der Leyen sees as necessary to “help those seeking asylum without having to embark on dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean.”

This reflection, she argues, will be carried out hand-in-hand with international organizations such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to achieve a “comprehensive approach” to the concept. (October 15)

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