The European Parliament definitively approved on Tuesday two key texts aimed at hardening the continent's migration policy, driven by an alliance between right-wing and far-right parties. The new rules will allow EU member states to return asylum seekers to countries other than their own, provided that Europe considers them 'safe', RFI reported and confirmed by the Argentine News Agency. This approach is already being tested by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is promoting centers in Albania, although so far the initiative has faced legal obstacles. The text approved on Tuesday could facilitate the implementation of that concept, which generates great concern among NGOs and left-wing forces, which fear for the treatment that asylum seekers will receive in those destinations. 'It is another step in the dehumanization of the European Union's migration policy', criticized the Green MEP Mélissa Camara, and denounced that the dignity of asylum seekers is being trampled. The European Commission rejected these criticisms and stated that receiving countries will have to respect the fundamental rights of the migrants sent. Another central point of the approved texts is the creation of a list of countries considered 'safe' by the EU, a measure that in practice limits asylum possibilities for its citizens. The list includes Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia, and its objective is to speed up the processing of asylum applications and, eventually, facilitate repatriations. 'Citizens expect us to fulfill our promises on migration policy, and that is exactly what we are doing', celebrated from the hemicycle the conservative MEP Lena Düpont. Despite a reduction in arrivals—around 25% fewer irregular entries compared to last year—the pressure on the political leaders of the Old Continent did not decrease. The center of political gravity in Europe has shifted to the right, pushing its leaders to harden migration policies even further.
