In Albania, the Ministers met with the Minister of the Interior, Albana Koçiu, and the Director-General of the Border Police and Frontex liaison officer, Teute Krasniqi. According to Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt, the Ministers discussed the launch of a digital platform intended to support identification processes and facilitate returns of Albanian nationals in irregular stay in Belgium. Minister Annelies Verlinden communicated that 307 Albanians are currently detained in Belgian prisons, of whom 253 do not have the right to remain in the country. She indicated that initial steps have been initiated and agreements made to transfer more detainees to Albania, and that the possibility of establishing a prison abroad for certain foreign offenders is being explored.

In Kosovo, the ministers met President Vjosa Osmani, the Minister of Justice, and the Director-General of Police. According to the Ministers, they discussed possibilities to strengthen judicial cooperation between Belgium and Kosovo. The talks also addressed migration management and compliance with Belgian migration decisions, as well as ongoing collaboration on organised crime and security matters. Both sides emphasised trust and partnership in tackling shared challenges.

Following the visit, the proposal to possibly establish a prison facility abroad, as mentioned by Minister Verlinden, prompted discussion among experts and in Belgian media. According to criminologist An-Sofie Vanhouche (VUB), similar plans in Denmark, announced in 2016 and formalised in 2021, have yet to be implemented, highlighting the complexity of such projects. She described the approach as a “costly and limited measure” to address prison overcrowding. The initiative would also entail significant financial and operational challenges, such as staffing and infrastructure requirements, and Kosovo has reportedly indicated conditions regarding the types of detainees it would accept. Discussions within the Belgian government on the next steps are expected to continue.

For more information, please consult the LinkedIn posts of Ministers Anneleen Van Bossuyt and Annelies Verlinden, as well as the following sources:

RTSH – Interior Minister Koçiu hosts Belgian Justice and Migration Ministers
Office of the President of Kosovo – President Osmani received Belgian Ministers