Local authorities face massive rise in refugees
The head of the Swedish Integration Board, Andreas Carlgren, has said he believes that the number of refugees which Sweden's local authorities have to take in will increase to 24,000 people next year.
That was the figure mentioned in a newsletter which Carlgren sent out on Monday. According to Svenska Dagbladet, which saw a copy of the newsletter, that is three times the amount quoted in an earlier assessment made by the board.
"The predictions, which are based on those who could not be expelled and who are therefore registered at the Board of Migration, indicate that local authorities could need to take in around 24,000 people next year," wrote Carlgren.
"To that number must be added the number who are hidden," he said, referring to those asylum seekers who have had their applications turned down but went into hiding in Sweden before they could be deported.
Carlgren urged the country's local authorities to "do their bit" and emphasised that the Swedish Integration Board needs more money from the government to be able to handle the increase.
"We foresee that we are going to need the option of providing the local authorities with extra resources in one form or another, over and above the normal benefits contributions. We have presented this to the government," wrote Andreas Carlgren.
"Otherwise there is a great risk that the waiting times for individual refugees will become unreasonably long."
The new prediction would, according to Svenska Dagbladet, mean that the cost of handling refugees rises to 3.2 billion kronor next year.
TT/The Local
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That was the figure mentioned in a newsletter which Carlgren sent out on Monday. According to Svenska Dagbladet, which saw a copy of the newsletter, that is three times the amount quoted in an earlier assessment made by the board.
"The predictions, which are based on those who could not be expelled and who are therefore registered at the Board of Migration, indicate that local authorities could need to take in around 24,000 people next year," wrote Carlgren.
"To that number must be added the number who are hidden," he said, referring to those asylum seekers who have had their applications turned down but went into hiding in Sweden before they could be deported.
Carlgren urged the country's local authorities to "do their bit" and emphasised that the Swedish Integration Board needs more money from the government to be able to handle the increase.
"We foresee that we are going to need the option of providing the local authorities with extra resources in one form or another, over and above the normal benefits contributions. We have presented this to the government," wrote Andreas Carlgren.
"Otherwise there is a great risk that the waiting times for individual refugees will become unreasonably long."
The new prediction would, according to Svenska Dagbladet, mean that the cost of handling refugees rises to 3.2 billion kronor next year.
TT/The Local
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