Belgium’s Migration Minister, Anneleen Van Bossuyt, has announced that the Belgian government is considering “every possible solution” to increase the return of irregular migrants, including building or renting detention facilities in Kosovo and Albania.
In an interview with Euronews, Van Bossuyt confirmed that concrete talks have taken place with the relevant authorities during her visits to Albania and Kosovo. “We are looking at every possible solution to increase the rate of returns. This is one of the possibilities that we are examining together with the Ministry of Justice,” she said.
According to her, the talks with Albania aim to house Albanian citizens currently in Belgian prisons. As for Kosovo, the minister said that her government is considering the possibility of housing people who are illegally staying in Belgium and are in prisons, regardless of their nationality.
“In Kosovo, we are looking at the possibility of housing people who are illegally staying in Belgium, but who are in our prisons,” Van Bossuyt stated.
She stressed that the Western Balkans are being seen as a space for “innovative” solutions in the field of migration and that Belgium remains open to other partnerships. “We have been to Albania and Kosovo, we have spoken to the responsible ministers, but perhaps in the future there will be other opportunities or countries,” said the Belgian minister.