Swedish Justice and Migration Minister Morgan Johansson says concrete measures are being taken to continue repatriating asylum seekers. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Chen Xuefei]

At a press conference in Stockholm, Swedish Justice and Migration Minister Morgan Johansson said more measures are being taken to continue repatriating asylum seekers by giving police more power to check backgrounds.

It’s well-known that Sweden has been the most generous country in receiving refugees. Last year alone, it received 163 thousand asylum seekers from Syria, Afghanistan and many other countries. For various reasons, Sweden has decided to deport about 60 to 80 thousand back to their home country.

Justice and Migration Minister Morgan Johansson said Sweden has given priority to the war-torn Syrian asylum seekers.

“Of course, it totally differs depending on what nationality you have, we grant 100 percent Syrians to be able to stay in Sweden. Lower ratio to Afghan and Iraqi side. We also have applications from the Balkans, Serbia and Kosovo, I think 97 percent of them have been sent back.”

In the past, Sweden took refugees word when they told their stories, they didn’t verify facts for reasons of integrity. But that has become problematic because there are adult asylum seekers pretending to be children, and some asylum seekers who have not been granted refugee status, that still stay and even work on the black market.

For these and other reasons the Swedish government has decided to give police more power to check the ages of those claiming to be children and also to inspect businesses such as restaurants to check for illegal workers. On the EU level, the fingerprints of suspected refugees can be shared, and the police have the power to request ID’s and check them if they suspect someone has arrived illegally. The checks will not only be restricted to borders, they will be extended throughout the entire country. A total of nine measures will be taken to step up deportations.

The authorities are also offering a bonus of 30 thousand krona for a person or 70 thousand krona for a family if you leave Sweden voluntarily.

Johansson said it is difficult to ask people to leave.

“But we have to remember, since the war started in Syria in 2011, in five years, Sweden has given protection to 135 thousand Syrian, the biggest number than any country in per capita. So I really think that we have done one of the biggest humanitarian efforts since the Second World War.”

Being asked when the tightened border control will be lifted, Johansson said it will depend on the situation in other countries. For example Germany last year received 440 thousand refugees. When they tightened their border, people turned to come to Sweden. So far, Sweden still keeps the EU level of receiving refugees, the lowest level in Sweden and this is likely to continue.

Source   CRIENGLISH.COM