This was stated by the official spokesman for the Ministry of Justice and Security. “We’re looking for all kinds of sites, so it’s not just defense sites. But the advantage of that is that those sites are actually owned by the government,” the spokeswoman says. It is not clear when white smoke will appear over the new shelters.
In such a defensive position – for example an empty barracks – “parts of the registration process” can then be carried out. The advantage is that the only application center at the moment – Ter Apel – can be excused afterwards. Asylum seekers sleep outside because the center is full. A new registration center must also be built in Bant, although the municipality must still give official approval.
Asylum seekers sometimes do not dare to take the bus to pick them up, because they fear that it will be at the expense of their procedures. By making the registration possible elsewhere in the country, the ministry expects that this group can better spread across the country.
According to the spokesperson, the talks are “in an advanced stage”, although that hopeful text has been hammering for weeks. The Cabinet also aims to receive asylum on board ships. Then they have to anchor somewhere in the country, or – if it is legal and safe – at sea. The spokeswoman said discussions about the appropriate locations were still ongoing, as was the investigation of the shelter at sea.
In the meantime, there has been very little space in the asylum reception for months, and the influx has recently increased sharply. There are more than 43,000 migrants receiving asylum, of whom nearly 16,000 are holding residence permits who are waiting for a home.
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