Kosovo is included in the list of countries

Kosovo has been included in the European Union's list of seven countries considered "safe", in an effort to speed up the return of migrants, and make it more difficult for citizens of those countries to seek asylum in the bloc, AFP reports.

The European Commission said it is proposing that Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco and Tunisia be declared "safe countries of origin".

"Many member states are facing a large number of unprocessed asylum applications, so everything we can do now to support faster asylum decisions is essential," said Magnus Brunner, the EU's migration commissioner, as he presented the list of countries.

It is now up to the European Parliament and the Council to agree on this proposal.

Asylum seekers who go to the EU from these seven countries could face having their claims rejected and potentially a return order, under new EU rules.

The number of asylum seekers from Kosovo in the EU has increased following visa liberalization on January 1, 2024.

There were more asylum requests only in 2015/2016 when tens of thousands of Kosovars migrated to the EU through illegal routes from Hungary.

France has been the main destination for Kosovars seeking asylum in the EU since 2018, when it first replaced Germany as the main destination.

Brussels has been under pressure to curb illegal migration and ease the deportation process, while deteriorating public opinion regarding migration has fueled the rise of the far right in some countries.

Led by hardline states such as Sweden, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands, EU leaders in October called for new legislation to increase and accelerate migrant deportations, but also asked the Commission to evaluate "innovative" ways to combat illegal migration.

In response to these demands, last month the Commission presented a reform of the deportation system, a reform that paved the way for member states to set up centers for the return of migrants outside the EU.

Currently, less than 20 percent of people who have been ordered to leave the bloc have returned to their countries of origin, EU data shows./ REL