Belgium has joined countries such as Germany and the Netherlands in actively encouraging the voluntary return of Arab refugees, amid growing public frustration over mass migration and rising crime rates.
The Belgian government announced plans to significantly increase the financial incentive offered to Syrian refugees who agree to return voluntarily to Syria. Under the new plan, eligible individuals will receive up to €5,000 per person, a move aimed at accelerating departures and reducing long-term asylum costs.
According to Belgian media, the country’s Minister for Asylum and Migration, Annelien Van Bossuyt of the New Flemish Alliance party, is promoting voluntary return by expanding reintegration assistance. Asylum seekers still in the early stages of their application process who choose to leave quickly will qualify for the full €5,000 grant.
Van Bossuyt recently raised the issue at an informal European Council meeting on Justice and Home Affairs held in Cyprus, where the return of Syrians and Afghans to their home countries was discussed.
