The European Parliament is discussing a new regulation that aims to speed up the return of migrants without the right to protection and tighten control over illegal migration. Among the most discussed proposals are the creation of return centers outside the European Union, faster procedures for examining asylum applications and stricter detention rules, bTV reported.
According to EPP MEP Emil Radev, after the new rules come into force, the practice of asylum seekers moving freely between different member states will be seriously limited.
„When someone enters the European Union and there is a suspicion that they are an illegal migrant, they will be placed in a closed center while the procedure is ongoing. "He will not be able to freely move around the entire European Union, and decisions will be made within weeks, not months or years," he commented.
According to him, the current system has allowed people with denied status to start new procedures in different member states, which has practically made it difficult for them to return.
One of the most discussed measures envisages the construction of return centers outside the territory of the European Union. The topic divides political forces in Brussels, with some critics comparing such facilities to camps.
However, MEP from the “Europe of Sovereign Nations“ Stanislav Stoyanov rejected such definitions.
“Solutions are being sought so that people who do not have the right to reside here do not reside here. This is a step in the right direction, not a reason for dramatization,“ he said.
According to him, in most cases migrants will be returned directly to their countries of origin, and the outsourced centers will be used under certain circumstances.
The discussion also mentioned the Australian model for managing illegal migration, in which asylum seekers are processed outside the country's continental territory.
According to Emil Radev, a similar approach already has a regulatory basis in the European Union.
“After the adoption of the regulation, we now have a legal opportunity for such centers and we can use them in cooperation with third countries,“ he said.
The issue of the labor shortage in Europe was also raised during the conversation. Stanislav Stoyanov stressed that this should not be confused with illegal migration.
“We are talking about two completely different problems. In the vast majority of cases, we are talking about low-skilled people who have difficulty integrating and cannot meet the needs of the European economy“, he said.
Instead, according to him, the European Union has mechanisms such as the “blue card“, which allow the legal attraction of qualified specialists from third countries.
According to Emil Radev, the new regulation is a logical continuation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and will give member states more tools for control.