Ursula von der Leyen has called on EU member states and partner nations to strengthen solidarity and coordination in their fight against irregular migration. She also urged countries to increase the number of repatriations of irregular migrants, and to step up their border management capabilities – particularly at the Turkish-Bulgarian border.
The Swiss People's Party has declared it wants to "put a stop" to what it calls "disproportionate and harmful" immigration. The right-wing party hopes to set up transit zones abroad to prevent "illegal entries."
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has told a hearing of the joint committees of foreign affairs of the Lower House and foreign affairs and defence of the Senate that the Western Balkans are key for the migration.
The EU wants to use visas and development aid to pressure countries refusing to take back unqualified asylum seekers. Ursula von der Leyen has also said she wants the EU to present a list of "safe countries of origin," and boost border controls on the Mediterranean and Western Balkans routes.
Slovenia saw an increase in migrant and refugee arrivals in 2022. More than 32,000 people crossed into the country irregularly last year, according to national police. That's three times as many as in 2021.
The Dutch are calling on the European Union to temporarily suspend visa benefits as part of efforts to compel countries to deport migrants who do not meet EU requirements. EU justice and home affairs ministers are set to meet in Sweden today to discuss rising irregular migration to the bloc.
Austria's chancellor has said he would lobby the European Union for €2 billion in funding for Bulgaria to strengthen its border with Turkey. Despite pushback, Bulgaria's president says he's hopeful his country would join the Schengen group of countries in the foreseeable future.
Switzerland recorded some 52,000 cases of unauthorized entry last year, almost three times as many as in 2021. Most of the migrants apprehended were reported to be of Afghan and Moroccan nationality.
The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, met with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, in Ankara to take stock of the migration issue, and stated that “contrasting illegal migration is a strategic priority” for both countries.
A Moroccan court has increased the sentences of 13 migrants to three years over last year's deadly crossing attempt into the Spanish enclave of Melilla, their lawyer has said. At least 23 migrants died in the stampede.
The Greek border authorities have arrested a total of around 1,300 suspected human smugglers last year along the Evros river bordering Turkey, a Greek minister said. He also claimed that more than a quarter million irregular crossing attempts by migrants were prevented in 2022.
Serbia's increasingly restrictive border policies are having an overall impact on the Balkan migration route. Austrian authorities say they have noted a significant drop of about 70% of people being intercepted while trying to enter the country using irregular means since mid-December.