May the government take a more pragmatic approach to migration management

Johan Leman, 10 January 2025

In Italy, over 800 million euros have already been spent to construct a closed center in Albania, where asylum seekers from “safe countries of origin” can be sent after arriving in Italy. This center processes their asylum applications and may eventually send them back to their home countries. It is ‘wait and see’ when and what will be started up… Meanwhile, in Italy itself, numerous abandoned barracks are falling into ruin. How many such centers does the European Union think it can build, and where will they be located?

In some North African countries, the EU pays exorbitant amounts to prevent migrants from crossing the Mediterranean Sea. The large sums given to countries like Tunisia have had an effect: fewer refugees are arriving in Italy… but that doesn’t mean there are none at all. Migrants continue to arrive. So yes, the number is decreasing, but the problem is not solved. Furthermore, there is an alternative route via Russia and Belarus; it is currently less used but could become very active.

In Belgium, political leaders content themselves with believing that a fair distribution of asylum seekers among EU countries will eventually materialize. Have you ever heard of wishful thinking?

The primary goal is simple: reduce the number of asylum seekers arriving. The secondary goal—though less certain—is to return those whose applications have been rejected.

Why do politicians always prefer grand declarations and revolutionary decisions that are supposed to change everything, instead of realistic and gradual adjustments?

Why not follow a scenario where we know that urbanization and education lead to a decline in birth rates, which will also apply to Africa? The mission would then be to focus on these aspects while tying them to local economic investments.

Why not prioritize stopping dangerous Mediterranean crossings strictly at the border of the Mediterranean Sea, as Belgian police already do in the North Sea?

And why not reintroduce, in Belgium, a process that was in place at the end of the last Dehaene government? This process examined which rejected asylum seekers—without criminal records—could, after brief training, join the labor market within a year and be given that opportunity.

This may seem less revolutionary, but it leads to less absurd costs and fewer empty promises.

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