'Forcing returns will lead to chaos in Syria,' foreign minister tells Euronews

Published on 13/05/2026 - 8:43 GMT+2

Forcing the instrumentality of hundreds of thousands of Syrians surviving successful Europe without fiscal enactment would pb to “chaos” successful the country, Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani told Euronews successful an exclusive interrogation successful Brussels pursuing talks with EU counterparts.

Al-Shaibani met EU overseas argumentation main Kaja Kallas this week arsenic the EU looks to enactment Syria’s fragile governmental modulation pursuing the ousting of Bashar al-Assad successful 2024, aft a brutal civilian warfare that displaced millions and devastated the country’s economy.

European governments led by Germany person besides called connected Syrian authorities to facilitate the instrumentality of Syrian nationals surviving successful Europe. Earlier this year, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested 80% of the adjacent to 1 cardinal Syrians who fled the state coinciding with the outbreak of the warfare should instrumentality to Syria by 2030.

His connection sparked controversy, with quality rights groups and absorption parties informing that forced returns could enactment thousands of lives astatine risk.

The German Economic Institute besides suggested that the fig of Syrians moving and paying societal contributions successful Germany is higher than the Chancellor indicated.

Al-Shaibani defended his government’s record, saying determination are “no majorities oregon minorities, conscionable Syrians”, but warned that a rushed instrumentality process would pb to chaos and insisted that returns connected specified a standard indispensable beryllium accompanied by fiscal support.

Echoing remarks by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, helium said Damascus had neither committed to a circumstantial people for returnees nor agreed to a timetable.

"We person warned that forcing the involuntary and undignified instrumentality of Syrians volition pb to chaos," helium told Euronews. "The concern successful Syria requires creating a suitable environment. This needs the engagement of the planetary community, particularly the European Union, to enactment the Syrian government" successful the reconstruction process.

Al-Shaibani besides told Euronews that determination is nary ceremonial statement connected returns oregon “on the number” of Syrians expected to return.

“We are not encouraging the instrumentality of Syrians successful a hasty, unorganised manner,” helium said, adding that rebuilding the system and creating are prerequisites for large-scale returns.

Syrian reconstruction - with strings attached

As Europe’s governmental scenery shifts towards tougher migration and asylum policies, the EU sees stabilising Syria arsenic cardinal to accelerating returns. Brussels besides views Damascus arsenic a imaginable spouse successful the Middle East, provided it tin beryllium drawn distant from what the bloc describes arsenic “malign actors” operating successful the region, including Russia.

The EU has besides said that fiscal assistance volition beryllium conditional connected the Syrian authorities ensuring the extortion of taste and spiritual minorities successful the country.

"For us, it is important that each the minorities are taken into relationship by the government, determination needs to beryllium inclusivity," Kallas told reporters up of the meeting. "This is wherefore we are offering our assistance successful drafting the constitution truthful they tin really person elections."

A European diplomat progressive successful the discussions told Euronews that the EU takes concerns implicit inclusivity earnestly and sees it arsenic a information to physique a deeper relationship.

Still, this week the European Council announced it would reinstate the afloat implementation of the EU-Syria practice statement allowing for much bilateral trade. The statement was archetypal suspended successful 2021. Its reinstatement follows a drawstring of EU measures easing restrictions connected the state aft the autumn of the Assad regime.

Last year, the Council besides lifted economical sanctions connected Syria.

Al-Shaibani brushed disconnected concerns successful comments to Euronews, arguing that, "since "European countries are nary longer accepting asylum applications from those leaving Syrians, it shows that they comprehend the concern is harmless and stable".