Sebastian Fiedler, the SPD parliamentary spokesperson, expressed reservations about the proposed non-EU “Return Hubs.” Speaking to RTL and ntv, he stated that the party is quite skeptical, suggesting the initiative will not be a major game-changer.
Fiedler noted that it is still entirely unclear which countries these hubs would involve. While emphasizing that high standards would be applied and German courts would decide the feasibility of each individual case, he also highlighted significant open financial and legal questions. “This costs a lot of money,” Fiedler added.
Despite his skepticism concerning the mechanism, he acknowledged that there is a shared political will-an agreement within the coalition-to send convicted criminals abroad. However, the SPD politician cautioned that there are still many question marks, both nationally and at the European level.
Fiedler clarified that the discussion around Return Hubs is currently confined mostly to the European context. He stressed that the German Parliament has not yet engaged deeply with this issue. While the party remains interested and critical of the proposal, they are currently focused on asking questions, and the matter has not yet reached the floor of the Bundestag.
