Kosovo signals readiness to negotiate with UK on establishing refugee return centres

The government of Kosovo has expressed willingness to engage in discussions with the United Kingdom regarding the potential establishment of a “return center” for migrants whose asylum applications have been denied in the UK.

“We are open to assisting the United Kingdom, our friend, partner, and ally, and its Labour government,” Kosovo government spokesperson Perparim Kryeziu told Radio Free Europe on 27 May.

However, he emphasised that any decision would require extensive institutional consultations. “It is fair to say we can begin discussions on this issue, but all relevant state institutions must be involved, and any decision will depend on their recommendations. Many questions need to be addressed first,” Kryeziu added.

The announcement follows reports from British media outlets, including The Guardian and The Times, which suggest that the UK is exploring the establishment of return centres in several Western Balkan countries, including Kosovo, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These centres would temporarily house migrants whose asylum claims have been rejected in the UK while they await repatriation, as part of a broader migration strategy under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government.

During a visit to Albania on 15 May, on the sidelines of a European Union summit, Starmer confirmed that the UK is in talks with multiple countries in the region to establish such facilities (BBC News, 16 May).

The European Union is also pursuing similar “return centre” initiatives in the Balkans, aiming to address irregular migration and streamline asylum processes (Reuters, 20 May 20). At that time, the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party, led by Hristijan Mickoski, swiftly debunked these claims as “absurd and malicious misinformation.”

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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticised these proposals, arguing that they represent an outsourcing of humanitarian responsibilities. In a statement on 22 May, 2025, HRW accused the UK and EU of using the Balkans as a “migration buffer zone.” The organisation urged both parties to focus on supporting the development of robust asylum systems and stronger protections for migrants’ rights in the region, rather than treating Balkan nations as “warehouses for migrants”.

This is not Kosovo’s first engagement in such arrangements. In 2022, Kosovo signed an agreement with Denmark to host 300 detained migrants in a prison facility on its territory in exchange for over €200 million in financial support (Al Jazeera, June 23, 2022). The deal sparked debate over the ethics of outsourcing migration management, a concern echoed in the current discussions with the UK.

As negotiations with London proceed, Kosovo’s government has stressed the need for transparency and institutional consensus, signalling a cautious approach to any potential agreement.

With BGNES and additional reporting, edited by g.g.

Caption: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) speaks during a press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (R) following the UK-EU summit at the Lancaster House in London, Britain, 19 May 2025. [EPA-EFE/NEIL HALL / POOL]