Accomodation centers for illegal migrants to appear in Belarus in 2018 – Interior Minister

Accomodation centers for illegal migrants will be established in Vitsebsk, Homiel and Lida in 2018 at the earliest, Interior Minister Ihar Shunevich.

A special working group consisting of employees of the Interior Ministry and the Belarusian office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been founded. Creating and administering the centers will be the responsibility of the group.

As reported earlier, the European Commission will donate €7 million to Belarus to help it establish accommodation centers for illegal migrants. The funding will be provided in the framework of the European Neighborhood Instrument based on an agreement to be signed by the interior ministry, the European Commission and the Belarus office of the International Organization for Migration.

The centers will only be used to accommodate illegal migrants caught in Belarus. No refugees will be brought from the EU to stay there, the Belarusian authorities reiterate.

Migrants will reportedly stay at the centers until all procedures needed for the establishment of their identities and/or their deportation are completed. Illegal migrants apprehended in Belarus are currently held at detention centers run by the police or border control units.

The funding will also be used to help illegal migrants voluntarily return from Belarus to their home countries.

Belsat.eu, following belta.by

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