A geographical limit for asylum seekers, improving the efficiency of returns, and whether to tighten up asylum reception were discussed by Swedish Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard and far-right Sweden Democrat migration spokesperson Ludvig Aspling.
On Wednesday, the government presented additional directives for the ongoing investigation into the reception of asylum seekers, proposing to focus on an investigation of the so-called transit centres and facilities where asylum seekers will live during the entire processing period.
“The aim is to counteract the shadow society,” said Stenergard at a joint press conference with Aspling.
Those currently seeking asylum in Sweden can either stay in one of the migration agency’s accommodation centres or choose to live in their own accommodation, known as EBO.
An interim report last year suggested that the EBO alternative should be abolished, something supported by the right-wing ruling coalition and the far-right Sweden Democrats.
“The investigator will analyse and consider what additional measures can be introduced to achieve a system where asylum seekers live in designated asylum accommodation and are accessible to the authorities,” Stenergard said, adding that the idea is to make it easier for the authorities to know where asylum seekers are.
“This is necessary to ensure that both the asylum process and the return process can be streamlined and work. But it is also important to be able to offer asylum seekers adequate support,” she added.
The new guidelines also include the investigation of a reporting obligation linked to an accommodation and a system where asylum seekers are assigned a geographical area in which to stay. Asylum seekers who break the rules should have their applications withdrawn.
Regarding returns, the government and their far-right ally want to investigate how asylum seekers who have been refused asylum and go underground should be caught.
“Part of the investigation will look at what effect it would have if these people were also included in this system and were assigned a place to live even after they had been rejected,” said Aspling.
The inquiry will also examine how Swedish reception rules can be tightened within the framework of EU legislation. Both the Swedish government and the Sweden Democrats have already announced that they do not want material reception conditions to be more generous than required by the EU.
The inquiry will therefore consider how asylum seekers should make a greater financial contribution to their own reception, such as covering health care costs. It will also review asylum seekers’ right to work.
“There may be room in EU law to tighten the Swedish regulations,” concluded Aspling (SD).
(Charles Szumski | EURACTIV.com)
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