Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged the European Union and the United Kingdom to stop using the Balkans as a “storage” for migrants, criticizing plans to establish “return centers” in third countries for asylum seekers.
The EU and UK have taken steps to process asylum claims and manage migrants outside their borders as a way to handle large migration flows.
- In March, the EU allowed member states to process migrant applications outside the 27-nation bloc.
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced talks with several countries about creating “return centers” for rejected asylum seekers awaiting deportation.
Although no specific countries were named, the Balkans appear to be a likely partner. Starmer made the announcement during a visit to Albania, which already hosts return centers for migrants coming from Italy. The UK government has also recently announced a €6 billion investment package for North Macedonia.
HRW’s Statement:
“Instead of treating the Balkans as a migrant storage facility, the EU and UK can play a crucial role in supporting the development of functional asylum systems and better frameworks for protecting migrants’ rights,” said HRW.
HRW highlighted Bosnia and Herzegovina as an example of a country already being used as a collection point for migrants passing through on their way to the EU. Hugh Williamson, HRW’s director for Europe and Central Asia, warned:
“Adding rejected asylum seekers from the UK or possibly the EU into Bosnia’s already problematic detention system would only worsen existing issues and increase abuses.”
Williamson emphasized that detainees in Bosnian prisons have limited access to lawyers and basic rights.
In 2023, Bosnia granted refugee status to only 4 out of 147 applicants, with many asylum seekers waiting for months with virtually no rights to a decision.
