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Sweden considers healthcare for illegals

TT/The Local
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Sweden considers healthcare for illegals

Sweden's new integration minister Erik Ullenhag is hopeful that Sweden will extend the right to healthcare and schooling to illegal immigrants.

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The right to healthcare for refugees who reside in Sweden illegally remains a controversial issue within the government as the Moderates have hitherto put a stop to proposals.

Integration minister Erik Ullenhag, of the Liberal Party, is however hopeful that an agreement can be reached and healthcare and schooling afforded even to those without the necessary documentation and for refugees in hiding.

"I think that we will reach our goal both for care for those in hiding and schooling for children. All children have a right to go to school," said Ullenhag in an interview with Sveriges Radio's Ekot news programme.

"I will continue to argue for what we believe in and we are not alone within the government. We think that it is reasonable that you should be able to go to accident and emergency and receive care, even if you are illegal," said Ullenhag.

Several of the centre-right parties are open for a discussion on the issue of illegal immigrant rights.

The same position is held by the Social Democrats and the Green Party, which have been invited to discussions over integration and immigration policy in a move to attempt to achieve a majority in parliament on the issue.

The centre-right Alliance government has taken steps to reach cross-party agreement in order to rule out any influence form the far-right Sweden Democrats on the issue.

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