CDA MEP Lenaers criticizes Cabinet's amateurism regarding return hubs in Uganda

CDA MEP Jeroen Lenaers has no good words for the "amateurism" of the Dutch Cabinet regarding the idea of ​​a 'return hub' for rejected asylum seekers in Uganda. Shortly after PVV minister Reinette Klever (Foreign Trade and Development Aid) made her idea public, the Ugandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeje Odongo, denied that it had been discussed. "In Europe, the experience is that cooperation with third countries is very important. This must be based on diplomatic skills, a bit of respect, and a bit of discretion. This Cabinet has not yet been very successful in that," Lenaers said on the TV program Buitenhof.

The purpose of a return hub is for rejected asylum seekers to wait there for deportation to their country of origin.
Tineke Strik, a member of the European Parliament for GroenLinks-PvdA, believes that the hard-won EU migration pact should be implemented. "Implement it, comply with the rules, but do so carefully," she said in Buitenhof. According to her, the main problem is "ignoring the possibilities that already exist and then coming up with trial balloons to do it differently. That doesn't help anyone."

The EU migration pact adopted in June includes rules on the reception, distribution, and return of migrants, with asylum seekers who have little chance of survival to be detained. All countries must also register asylum seekers in the same way. The pact will enter into force in June 2026.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to implement parts of the pact faster than June 2026. The EU leaders agree, as became clear after an EU summit on Thursday. If this can be done responsibly, "I don't know what's wrong with that," said CDA member Lenaers, who belongs to the same political family as Von der Leyen. Strik is more critical. "If you bring forward pieces of legislation, then you are also doing something with the entire pact," of which solidarity is an important part.

Strik, who is also a professor of migration law at Radboud University Nijmegen, finds it "reprehensible" that judges have to whistle member states back on new policy, as the Italian judge did on Friday at the Italian reception center in Albania. "Member states must investigate thoroughly in advance whether it is even possible."