BELGIUM (Brussels Times) ‘Normalising non-reception’: Belgium’s asylum policy under fire again – A newly published report by Médecins Sans Frontières, Doctors of the World, CIRÉ, BelRefugees, Caritas International, and the Humanitarian Hub highlights the dire state of asylum policy in Belgium.
CYPRUS (Philenews) Government lying about migrant pushbacks, journalist says – Journalist Constantinos Constantinou has publicly defended evidence he shared about an alleged pushback of approximately 80 people, after the Justice Minister questioned the authenticity of materials posted on social media.
DENMARK (POLITICO) JD Vance had a point on migration, Denmark’s prime minister warns EU leaders – In a wide-ranging interview, Mette Frederiksen says she considers “mass migration … as a threat to the daily life in Europe.”
GREECE (EUobserver) Court upends Greek attempts at returning refugees to Turkey – Greek authorities are likely scrambling for solutions after a top court ruled Türkiye unsafe for refugees.
ITALY (Euractiv) Italy to reopen repatriation hubs in Albania – To prevent Albania’s facilities from going unused, Italy plans to repurpose them as return hubs – an option that could become viable once Commissioner Magnus Brunner’s plan takes effect.
LATVIA (InfoMigrants) Latvia: Border controls tightened once more – Latvia’s government announced on Tuesday [18 March] that it will strengthen border controls with Russia and Belarus once again, citing security concerns over migration orchestrated by Russia. Entry at checkpoints will be restricted to motor vehicles only.
MALTA (Newsbook) Abela wants to curtail human rights convention’s protections for asylum seekers – Prime minister Robert Abela confirmed that he wishes to push for a reform of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR): specifically lamenting that its interpretation by the European Court of Human Rights was hindering European countries’ efforts to deter people seeking asylum.
NETHERLANDS (Dutch News) Asylum minister broke rules by not consulting inspectors on laws – Asylum minister Marjolein Faber failed to consult the justice ministry’s inspectorate when drafting her plans for the “strictest asylum policy” ever, ignoring rules that explicitly required her to do so.
POLAND (POLITICO) Poland shuts asylum door at Belarus border with EU backing – Poland is moving ahead with a controversial new law, backed by European Union leaders, to suspend access to asylum for new arrivals crossing into the country through Belarus after accusing Moscow of weaponising migration flows to upend security in the region.
SPAIN (Euronews) Spain adopts measures to move lone migrant minors away from Canary Islands – The reform ends a months-long political stalemate between Spain’s regions and the central government and is aimed at easing pressure on overcrowded reception centres.
SWITZERLAND (SWI swissinfo) Switzerland must participate in EU Migration Pact, says government – As a signatory of Europe’s Schengen/Dublin cooperation agreements, Switzerland must participate in the reform of the European migration and asylum system, says the government, which submitted its message to parliament on Friday [21 March] on the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
UK (BBC) Government considering sending failed asylum seekers to Balkans – Home Office officials have discussed proposals to set up overseas “return hubs” to house people who have had their claims rejected and all appeals exhausted.
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