Calls for offshore EU asylum processing centres fuel misinformation in Moldova

Calls by some EU leaders to consider establishing migration processing centres outside the bloc's territory have triggered the spread of misinformation designed to undermine support for the 27-country bloc in EU candidate countries.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen first floated the idea of "return hubs" in a letter to EU heads of state and government last Tuesday, and it was discussed during a leaders' summit on Thursday.

Whilst currently scant on details, the proposal is believed to be inspired by Italy's recent deal with Albania in which single male migrants intercepted at sea by the Italian authorities are sent to centres in Albania while their asylum claims are being processed.

Countries including Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany are considered supportive of the plans, but they have not yet been endorsed at the EU level.

The prime ministers of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, and Belgium, Alexander De Croo, have openly criticised the calls, saying they are too costly and have failed to tackle the root causes of irregular migration in the past.

Despite this, misleading reports have been circulating that the bloc is already looking to open deportation camps for migrants in EU candidate countries.

An article published by UK outlet The Times in early October, citing a European diplomat, said that the EU "will set up deportation camps in neighbouring countries that want to join the bloc, such as Serbia, Albania and Moldova".

The article was dubbed an exclusive and foresaw von der Leyen's endorsement of such centres.

But the explicit reference to Serbia, Albania and Moldova as potential sites has sparked a flurry of misleading reports, particularly in Moldova.

State-owned media, including the Kremlin's TASS ne