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KABUL – In a rare show of unity, twenty European countries — including Slovakia and Norway — have urged the European Commission to enable the return of Afghan nationals without legal status or convicted of crimes, warning that Europe’s asylum system is being undermined by the inability to deport them.
The joint appeal, spearheaded by Belgium’s Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt, calls for both voluntary and forced returns of Afghans who remain illegally in the EU. “We can’t return illegal or criminal Afghan nationals, even after their conviction. This erodes public confidence and threatens our security,” Van Bossuyt said, pressing Brussels to act decisively.
Slovak Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok signed the letter on behalf of Slovakia, alongside counterparts from Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden.
The signatories insist that the EU must no longer allow legal and security loopholes to hinder deportations, urging the Commission to establish a clear mechanism for returns to Afghanistan despite the Taliban’s control.
The Belgian-led initiative, reported by Euractiv and Belga, reflects growing frustration across Europe as governments face mounting domestic pressure over migration, security, and the integrity of EU borders.
