The meeting in Brussels in June will sort out practical issues to enable the deportation of Afghans who have not been granted asylum in Europe. The invitation has the support of a majority of EU countries - but is being criticized by human rights organizations as well as several Members of the European Parliament.
What should we do next time? Maybe let the ayatollahs speak in parliament? Dutch Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle said in an EU debate on Wednesday, where Swedish MEPs Abir Al-Sahlani (C) and Hanna Gedin (V) were also strongly critical.
"This is not migration policy. This is complicity," Gedin said.
Regrets the invitation
In a joint statement on Thursday, which was voted through by 480 votes in favour, just 5 against and 83 abstentions, the European Commission and member states are urged to continue not to recognise the Taliban regime. At the same time, the Parliament “regrets” the decision to invite the meeting.
However, SD voted no, citing that it sees the government's work on the issue as important.
Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M) has previously justified the decision to accept the invitation by saying that it is not about any recognition of the regime.
"It's not a political dialogue; it's at the civil service level. It's about practical things to start deportations of people who are unfortunately often very dangerous," Forssell told TT in April.
Allows child weddings
The exact time of the meeting is not yet known. According to the news site Euractiv, the regime will be represented in Brussels by Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman for the Afghan Foreign Ministry.
The Taliban regime's rule is based on a strict interpretation of Sharia law and is characterized by strong control over society, especially women's lives and rights. A recent decision was also made to legalize marriage for nine-year-old girls.
