Armenia denies talks on hosting EU migrant return center

(Horizon Media / YEREVAN) — Armenia has not received any proposal to host a detention or return center for irregular migrants from European Union member states, the Foreign Ministry has said, rejecting claims circulated in a Euronews report.

“No such proposal has been received, and no discussions have taken place with us on this matter,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan told Armenpress.

Euronews earlier reported that Italy is preparing to submit a plan to the EU aimed at establishing migrant return hubs in designated safe third countries, following the model of Rome’s migration agreement with Albania.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi is expected to present the proposal during an extraordinary meeting of EU interior ministers on Tuesday. Under the plan, people who enter the EU irregularly could be transferred to facilities outside the bloc while their asylum or immigration cases are reviewed.

The report identified Uganda as one of the more concrete potential host countries, while noting that several other African and non-European states were also under consideration. Armenia, Uzbekistan and Montenegro were among the countries named as possible candidates outside the main migration routes.

The proposed centers would reportedly be financed by the European Union, although funding arrangements and other details remain under discussion.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry firmly denied that Yerevan had been approached or had participated in any negotiations concerning such a facility.