The Danish Minister for Immigration and Integration, Mattias Tesfaye, defended, on Thursday 13 January, in front of the members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties Committee, the new Danish scheme adopted in 2021 organising the voluntary return of refugees to their country of origin as well as the policy of outsourcing asylum, consisting in processing asylum applications for Denmark in centres based in third countries. The Social Democrat minister was invited to answer questions from MEPs, some of whom argue that the law violates international and European law. As Syrian refugees were particularly concerned after losing their residence permits in Denmark, the Maltese Socialist, Cyrus Engerer, asked what kind of cooperation was possible with the current Syrian regime, saying he was “puzzled”.
The minister assured that the Danish government does not implement “forced returns”, but only “voluntary returns” of refugees and that no cooperation agreement of any kind exists with the Bashar al-Assad regime. “Voluntary returns are being organised with financial assistance, if such returns are requested”, he said.
Asked by the Dutch MEP, Sophie in ’t Veld, about the reasons for this new system “when the country is prosperous”, the minister replied that migrants were now well integrated into Danish society precisely “because migration is controlled”.
The new regime, “ perfectly in line with the European and international obligations” of Denmark (which has opt-outs in this area, but is in the so-called Dublin system), added the minister, will also make it possible to promote legal channels of migration and avoid recourse to smugglers and dangerous crossings with thousands of deaths, by giving priority to resettlement of refugees through UNHCR programmes or to asylum applications in Denmark from third countries.
And the country is building these partnerships with third countries, he added. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)