Laurens Soenen, spokesperson for the Belgian foreign ministry, clarified that the government has received no formal requests for entry. This administrative void complicates the Commission’s push for a technical-level dialogue, a designation carefully chosen to avoid granting the Taliban any semblance of formal political recognition. The discussions are intended to streamline the deportation of Afghan nationals back to Kabul, a priority for a coalition of 20 EU and Schengen states.
Taliban Brussels visit in doubt as visa requests remain unfiled
The prospect of a Taliban delegation arriving in Brussels this month for talks on deportations is stalling, as Belgian authorities confirm no visa applications have been submitted. With a four-week processing window required, the timeline for the European Commission’s controversial technical meeting appears increasingly unrealistic.
Despite the proposed agenda, the Belgian government is distancing itself from the proceedings. Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot will not participate, and officials stated it is unlikely any Belgian representatives will attend. While the European Commission remains tight-lipped on the current status, internal friction persists regarding the scope of these returns. Although the Commission previously signaled that deportations would target individuals posing security threats, deputy director-general Johannes Luchner suggested during a January visit to Afghanistan that the scope of removals could eventually widen to include broader categories of people.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!