EU Conservatives Leader Calls for Creation of Migration Return Centers in Africa

The leader of the European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, has called for the rapid establishment of migration return centers in Africa. His statement follows the events that occurred in late July in the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta, where tens of thousands of illegal migrants attempted to enter Spanish territory. This was reported by Politico.

According to Weber, the events in Ceuta have demonstrated that close cooperation with neighboring countries can be effective. "Morocco immediately readmitted people. No one managed to move further into the Schengen area. Europe must quickly establish return centers in Africa," he stated.

The EPP leader also defended the proposals made by the EU Commissioner for Migration, Magnus Brunner. These proposals suggest that non-EU countries could be offered closer trade ties, economic cooperation, and legal migration opportunities in exchange for agreeing to create return centers within their territory.

Weber believes that migrants who do not have the right to stay in Europe should leave the continent, and their return should not depend on the political will of individual EU member states. He also expressed opposition to considering the control of internal EU borders as a long-term solution. According to Weber, such measures may be necessary in exceptional situations but do not address the root causes of the issue.

"Therefore, there can only be one answer—a strong and united protection of Europe's external border," he remarked.

Weber linked the crisis created in Ceuta, which according to reports has led to the deaths of nearly 100 people, to unilateral decisions made by individual countries. He argued that the Spanish government's "political signals" have had a direct impact on migration routes. Earlier, Austria’s Minister for Europe, Integration, and Family Affairs, Claudia Bauer, had called on Spain to significantly strengthen border protection in light of new calls for a massive influx into Ceuta on social media on August 15.