Interior Minister Gerhard Karner attended, as a guest, a meeting of Visegrád Group interior ministers and the “Forum Salzburg” ministerial conference on 9 March 2026 in Egerszalók, Hungary.
Visegrád Group talks (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia) focused on combating illegal migration and terrorism through better EU database links, reform of asylum and return systems, and the development of return centres and asylum procedures outside Europe. Karner presented a joint roadmap agreed with several EU partners for establishing such centres outside the EU, stressing their importance for reducing pressure on Europe’s external borders ahead of the EU Asylum and Migration Pact.
He also said efforts were under way to explore cooperation with potential partner countries outside the EU, adding that the Pact can only function if pressure on external borders is reduced.
The “Forum Salzburg” conference later the same day focused on strengthening Europol, implementing the new EU Entry/Exit System, and cooperation with the Western Balkans on border protection.
- Federal Ministry of the Interior | Bundesministerium für Inneres (10 March, 2026), Migration: Karner bei Visegrád-Treffen über Rückkehrzentren außerhalb der EU [Migration: Karner at Visegrád Meeting on Return Centres Outside the EU],