Update“How long must we provide the Ukraine reception without restriction, while the other reception is certainly in trouble?” This is the question posed by chairman Hubert Bruls of the Security Council prior to the consultation of the 25 security regions in Utrecht, together with State Secretary Eric van der Burg (Asylum). The reception of Ukrainian war refugees is on the agenda tonight, as is the new distribution law that can oblige municipalities to receive people in the long term.
Ukrainian refugees continue to come to the Netherlands. According to European rules, they can travel freely in Europe. They receive a living allowance, a place to live and can go straight to work. According to Mayor Bruls of Nijmegen, this is leading to more and more discussion. Other refugees who enter the country via Ter Apel have a long way to go. “They often live in poor conditions. You can criticize that.”
Bruls believes that the distribution law should be introduced more quickly to prevent further problems. “We never know how many people will come. Forecasts have turned out to be volatile.” The distribution law is on the agenda of the Security Council tonight. The mayors doubt whether the law, which has been drafted with great difficulty, will be effective. The process of distributing asylum seekers fairly across municipalities is too complex, they believe. The Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) agrees.
Reward
The Distribution Act regulates the distribution of the number of asylum places across the Netherlands. The law provides for a reward for municipalities that voluntarily and on time provide extra places and also forcibly for municipalities that continue to refuse to accommodate refugees. The latter in particular was a great wish of the Security Council, which has been grumbling for months about municipalities that do nothing despite the great need for asylum reception.
The mayors are afraid that the current distribution law is so complicated that it will still not be possible to realize sufficient structural reception places.
‘shortest way’
Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb of Rotterdam also believes that the law should come into force immediately from 1 January. “Choose the shortest route between A and B, without many approach routes.” The influx of Ukrainians is leveling off, he says, but the arrival of asylum seekers from other countries is high. “It has to do with wars, drought, poverty or political instability. What will happen in Iran, where it is unsettled?”
After consultation with other mayors in the Rijnmond region, Aboutaleb sees the reception for Ukrainians in the region at stake. “The shelter on ships will end on January 1.”
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