Sweden and the EU Commission are set to hold talks with the Taliban to negotiate deportations to Afghanistan.
“The issue of being able to carry out more criminal deportations, that is people who have been convicted of a crime in Sweden, or pose a threat to Sweden’s national security, is one of my most important priorities,” Migration Minister Johan Forssell told the TT newswire.
Sweden’s opposition parties sharply criticised the talks, with Green Party migration spokesperson Annika Hirvonen slamming it as a “deal with extremists”.
“It’s a betrayal of Swedish Afghans and all those girls and women who are being robbed of their freedom and future by Taliban oppression, and a careless way of using Swedish tax money,” she said.
Forssell stressed that the talks should not be seen as political recognition of the Taliban.
“It’s not a political dialogue, but rather on a civil servant level. It’s about practical things to get these deportations of, unfortunately not seldom very dangerous persons, under way,” said Forssell.
