Balkan asylum seekers and the spectre of European hypocrisy

During the first half of this year, an average 25 Bosnian citizens requested asylum in Belgium every month. In August, their number increased to 81. The number for September is likely to be even a bit higher. This is still a small share of the more than 2,000 asylum requests Belgium receives every month. However, it led the Belgian embassy in Sarajevo to warn about a “sharp” and “alarming” increase, which is a “worrying and a serious issue”.

Ahead of a meeting with the interior ministe...