Migrants, European Parliament gives green light to repatriation hubs

Parliament’s position provides, among other things, that repatriations, or deportations (a term explicitly used by the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica), can also be carried out to a third country which agrees to welcome the person on the basis of an agreement concluded with the EU or with a member state, the so-called repatriation ‘hub’.

There is also a period of detention for migrants subject to repatriation decisions who do not cooperate on a long-term basis up to 24 months. Detention can also be ordered against minors and families with children, as a “last resort” measure. The favorable vote was greeted with thunderous applause in the Chamber in Brussels. Now the mandate will have to be negotiated with the Cypriot presidency: a first round is expected soon.