Greece is working with four other European countries to set up
deportation centers in third countries, most likely in Africa, for
migrants whose asylum applications are rejected,
AzerNEWS reports citing AP News.
Thanos Plevris said on Greek state broadcaster ERT television
that Greece was working with Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and
Denmark for the creation of so-called return hubs, “preferably in
Africa.” Ministers from the five countries had already met to
discuss the issue, and technical teams would be meeting next week,
he said.
“We are not speaking theoretically any more, we are speaking
practically,” Plevris said. He didn’t specify which countries were
being considered to host the return hubs, and said the choice of
the African continent was “not binding.” It was the larger European
countries that were speaking directly with the countries where the
return hubs could be located, “but we are participating too,” he
added.
The use of return hubs would be for people whose asylum
applications are rejected and whose countries of origin will not
take them back, the minister explained. He said their existence
would act as a deterrent to prospective migrants who are unlikely
to be granted asylum. The minister said the aim was for an initial
plan to be in place in the next few months, although it wasn’t
clear when any such return centers could be up and running.
Located on the southeastern fringe of Europe, Greece for decades
has been one of the main entry points into the EU for people
fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Tens of thousands make it into the country each year, the vast
majority on dangerous sea journeys either from the Turkish coast to
nearby Greek islands in the Aegean, or making the much longer
Mediterranean crossing from north Africa to the southern Greek
islands of Gavdos and Crete.
Athens has taken an increasingly hard line in dealing with
migration, and its coast guard has often been accused of carrying
out so-called pushbacks: summary deportations of new arrivals
without allowing them to apply for asylum. The government
strenuously denies it carries out such practices.
Plevris said there had been a 21% reduction in people arriving
in the country illegally in 2025 compared to 2024, or 13,000 fewer
arrivals last year compared to the previous year, and a 40%
reduction over the last five months.
Last week, European lawmakers voted to approve new immigration
policies allowing nations to deny asylum and deport migrants
because they either hail from a country designated safe or could
apply for asylum in a country outside the 27-nation bloc.
Plevris said the government was now focusing on returns of those
whose asylum applications are rejected. The country already carries
out around 5,000-7,000 returns per year, but with around
40,000-50,000 new arrivals each year, roughly half of whose asylum
applications are rejected, Plevris said the current rate of return
was not enough.
The Greek minister said he would be travelling to Rome next week
for meetings with his Italian and Spanish counterparts. He said
they would also meet with “the equivalent minister” from Pakistan
as part of talks with countries of origin for greater cooperation
on returns.