Since the beginning of this year, the authorities in Belgium have expelled 1,239 foreigners without a right to stay in the country, local media reported. It is noted that this is "better than the record" from 2017, when 1,112 people were expelled, BTA reported.
It is specified that these are people who were convicted of crimes and were in prison before being returned to their home countries. Last year, 991 foreigners were returned, and in 2024 - 828.
The majority of the convicts were from Morocco (233), as well as from Albania (195) and Algeria (138).
The Minister of Asylum and Migration, Annelin van Bossuet, points out that the increased number this year is directly related to the agreements concluded with Morocco and Algeria to readmit their citizens.
In recent months, Belgium has expanded the list of European countries where some of those deprived of their liberty can be transferred due to prison overcrowding. Last year, the Belgian government began preliminary talks with Albania and Kosovo, and then expanded the list to include Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Lithuania.