ISTANBUL

Belgian Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden said Wednesday that she is willing to place detained irregular migrants in closed return centers.

Speaking to the Dutch daily Het Belang van Limburg, Verlinden outlined her plan to move migrants who are currently detained in Belgian prisons to centers managed by the Immigration Office, according to French newspaper La Libre.

"They have no place in Belgian prisons," Verlinden said.

Belgian prisons currently hold nearly 13,000 detainees -- well over their capacity of just 11,000 -- with about one in three lacking legal residency in the country.

"In a closed center, a person can only be placed in administrative detention, … limited to a maximum of four months," leading to repatriation, Belgium Immigration Office spokesperson Paulien Blondeel explained, emphasizing that these centers are "not an alternative to prison."

While Verlinden advocates for the use of closed return centers, she also suggested exploring the possibility of detention capacity abroad, with Kosovo mentioned as a potential option.

“Clear agreements are currently being developed between the prison administration and the Immigration Office to ensure that the transfer of these detainees for the purpose of expulsion can take place as smoothly and efficiently as possible,” Verlinden added.