Sweden’s migration minister said on Thursday that deporting Afghan nationals whose asylum applications have been rejected is “almost impossible” because many lack national identity cards and passports.
Johan Forssell called on European Union member states to agree on a common mechanism for issuing identity and travel documents to rejected Afghan asylum seekers and Afghan nationals convicted of crimes.
Forssell said the EU is unwilling to enter formal negotiations or political agreements with the Taliban, arguing that such steps would confer legitimacy on the group. However, he said member states should engage at a technical level to resolve documentation issues so deportations can be carried out more efficiently.
Speaking to The Associated Press on the sidelines of an informal meeting of EU justice and interior ministers in Cyprus, Forssell said that the deportation of Afghan asylum seekers is a major concern, because there are numerous cases in which Afghans have committed crimes in Sweden, yet deporting them is almost impossible.
He said similar policies apply to Syrian migrants but added that Afghan nationals are currently a priority for the Swedish government.
Forssell said Afghan nationals abroad are unable to obtain identity cards or passports because most Afghan embassies in Europe are not recognised by the Taliban.
He said the European Union’s delegation in Kabul has recently held discussions with Taliban officials on issuing passports and identity documents for Afghan nationals living in European countries, describing the talks as “a very positive first step.”
According to Forssell, EU countries are united in seeking additional measures to speed up the deportation of rejected Afghan asylum seekers and Afghan nationals convicted of crimes.
He added that more than half of Afghan asylum applications are expected to be rejected and said those applicants “must return to their country.”
The Associated Press reported that Magnus Brunner, the EU commissioner for home affairs and migration, also confirmed that EU member states are holding technical-level talks with Taliban authorities in Afghanistan to facilitate the return of rejected asylum seekers.
