Starmer to host Western Balkans leaders as UK seeks to stem flow of migrants

Sir Keir Starmer will host Western Balkans leaders for a summit in London as the UK seeks to agree further measures to bring down the number of migrants arriving illegally.

Some 22,000 people were smuggled by gangs last year along routes through the region, which has become increasingly important to tackling illegal migration across Europe.

Summit

The UK is already working with partners in the region – comprised of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo – as part of Labour’s pledge to target smuggling gangs and bring down the number of small boat arrivals across the Channel.

The Prime Minister confirmed earlier this year that he had spoken to countries about the possibility of hosting so-called return hubs where the UK could send failed asylum seekers before they are deported.

Talks on acting as third countries to host the hubs are ongoing, it is understood, but no deals are expected to be announced at the Wednesday summit.

Smuggling

Two of the leaders due to attend stressed their countries would not be hosting such hubs at an event at Chatham House on Tuesday.

“When it comes to the hubs, or whatever they are called, I’ve said it, and I repeat – never in Albania,” Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said.

Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Spajic said his country was not part of the Western Balkans smuggling route because the railway infrastructure is not developed enough.

“Montenegro is not part of the migrant routes through the Balkans,” he said.

Mr Rama asked him if he would host a hub if the UK built railways in his country, to which he replied: “We definitely accept it, if they would invest 10 billion euros into building railways.”

The Prime Minister is expected to announce an extension to the UK’s role in KFOR, the Nato-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo, during the summit.

New co-operation on tackling organised crime groups in the Western Balkans involved in the cocaine trade is also to be launched.