NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) 鈥� The European Union鈥檚 executive arm will monitor any agreement to set up so-called return hubs in non-EU countries so that the rights of sent there are protected, the bloc’s migration commissioner said Friday.
Magnus Brunner said any such deal will also be vetted by the International Organization for Migration and the U.N. refugee agency to ensure compliance with those legal safeguards.
鈥淗uman rights standards and international law is non-negotiable,鈥� Brunner told a news conference during a meeting of EU migration ministers to mark the implementation of the bloc鈥檚
The return hub concept is just one of the new pact鈥檚 provisions that have been met with skepticism from human rights groups that question whether these centers could turn into long-term holding facilities overflowing with failed asylum seekers stuck in legal limbo.
Greece repeated Friday that it is one of five EU members, along with Germany, Austria, Denmark and the Netherlands, that is to set up such return hubs on their territory.
According to the Greek Migration Ministry, the five EU countries are to strike a deal with these unnamed third countries this year so that the return hubs can be up and running in 2027.
Brunner wouldn鈥檛 say which third countries are being considered for the return hubs, deferring instead to the five countries that are holding such negotiations.
鈥淲e created the rules, we create the basis, but it鈥檚 up to the member state to negotiate agreements if they want to,鈥� the EU commissioner said. He added that EU reforms are paying off, with a 90% drop in irregular migrant arrivals from the Western Balkan route over the past three years, as well as a 67% reduction from Turkey to Greece’s Aegean islands in the first four months of this year.
Cypriot Deputy Minister for Migration Nicholas Ioannides said the east Mediterranean island nation would join return hub negotiations once its six-month term at the EU鈥檚 helm comes to an end July 1.
Ioannides downplayed criticism from human rights groups about the bloc鈥檚 new migration and asylum pact that they say could deny legitimate asylum seekers a chance at a new life by rushing assessments.
He said these groups 鈥渄isagree with the gist of this project, with the whole architecture,鈥� adding that the EU鈥檚 priority was to implement new rules so that it won鈥檛 get caught unprepared in the event of another massive influx of migrants like in 2015.
Brunner argued the new pact offers protection 鈥渢o actually those in need鈥� by putting in place 鈥渃learer and more effective rules鈥� that combat illegal migration routes and people smugglers.
Also on Friday, Cyprus announced a deal with Lithuania on relocating migrants granted international protection to the Baltic country.
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