Kosovo feels a “political duty” to process failed migrants from the UK, if legal issues can be overcome, the country’s prime minister has told Sky News.

Albin Kurti said there is “limited capacity” in the small nation, which has a population of fewer than two million people, but that he expected a “successful result” from negotiations.

Talks are under way, he confirmed, between officials from both countries about a migrant returns deal for those whose claims have been ruled ineligible by the UK, and are awaiting deportation to their country of origin.

A Home Office team is exploring options for how one could work, Sky News understands, although no formal request has yet been made to Kosovo to host a facility.

Mr Kurti, who is attending a Western Balkans Summit in London this week, said: “We want to help the UK, we consider that that is our friendly and political duty.

“We have limited capacity but still we want to help, and as we speak, there is regular communication between our teams of state officials from our ministry of internal affairs and lawyers about how to do this smoothly for mutual benefit.

“Of course, we want, as a country, to benefit but we consider it first and foremost our obligation to help you because you helped us a great deal and will never forget that.”

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Rescued migrants are brought in by the RNLI to Dover earlier this month. Pic: PA

Western Balkans key allies

Sir Keir Starmer has identified the countries of the Western Balkans as key allies in the fight against irregular migration, with 22,000 people using this route to reach the UK last year.

The UK government has signed agreements to tackle smuggling gangs with Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo.

Keir Starmer said earlier this year that the government was in talks with unnamed countries about setting up “return hubs” which he called an “important innovation” for individuals who have exhausted all appeals in the UK system.

Kosovo is the first to confirm these negotiations are under way, and further discussions about it are likely in the margins of this week’s summit.

The small eastern European nation and the UK have strong ties, with Sir Tony Blair feted in the country for his government’s role in spearheading NATO airstrikes on Serbia in 1999, which helped end the Kosovo War.

In June, Kosovo made an agreement with the US, negotiated under the Biden administration, to take up to 50 US deportees who met certain criteria. But it is understood only one or two have arrived due to legal issues.

Kosovo would likely be seeking a defence agreement and UK investment in return, with the country concerned about Russian aggression and hostility from neighbouring Serbia.

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Tony Blair receiving a hero's welcome in Kosovo in 1999. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Tony Blair receiving a hero’s welcome in Kosovo in 1999. Pic: Reuters

Kosovo wants security support

Mr Kurti added: “We would like mainly to get support in security – be that through strategic agreements, or through equipment and projects we might do. Our two teams are working on this, but I think this will have a successful result.”

It is not expected the UK will make a formal request until further legal issues are worked through, which could be significant.

A controversial deal made by Italy in 2023 to send thousands of migrants to two detention centres in Albania has cost millions of euros and been halted by multiple legal obstacles.

Andi Hoxhaj, Balkan expert at King’s College, said: “Such a deal is unlikely to happen at the Summit. Nevertheless, I expect some statement indicating that the UK and one or two Western Balkan countries are close to reaching an agreement.”

“Establishing an agreement with the UK would not be politically sensitive in Kosovo. The country continues to seek deeper ties with one of its strongest allies-one that played a crucial role in its path to independence.”

Kosovo has convict deal with Denmark

Sir Keir was left embarrassed on a visit to the Albanian capital in May when he announced the UK was in talks about return hubs in the Balkans, only for Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to say he would not allow the UK to “dump immigrants” in his country when it is in a “marriage” with Italy.

Under Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Office has shifted focus to migration – with more staff working on the issue, drawing up sanctions on people smugglers and pursuing returns agreements.

Kosovo has also ratified a deal with Denmark – another active contributor to the NATO-led Kosovo peacekeeping force – to take 300 convicts from its overcrowded prisons, due to start in 2027.

Return hubs are different from offshore processing – which is what the Conservatives had proposed with the Rwanda scheme.

It is proposed that individuals would only be sent to a return hub if their claim for asylum in the UK had been rejected – and they were awaiting deportation.

By sending them to a third country, the government hopes it will prevent people trying to frustrate and delay the process of removal and that it could act as a deterrent to people coming in small boats.

Only 3% of people of small boat arrivals in 2018-24, or around 5,000 people, were returned from the UK, according to the Oxford Migration Observatory, although removals of failed migrants from all routes has increased in the past year.