The government is now looking at how they can arrange state transport of Ukrainians on the run.
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The government has been criticized, among others from the Liberal Party, because they have not established an air bridge for refugees from Ukraine to Norway. For the time being, it is left to the refugees themselves to travel to the country they want to stay in.
An air bridge means frequent air traffic between places for a period of time due to special conditions.
Now the Minister of Justice Emilie Mehl (Sp) tells VG that a state-organized air bridge or retrieval of refugees with the help of the Police Immigration Unit is something they are now looking at:
Norway has useful experiences with this, which we have with us in the assessments Norway now makes of how we should help as many people as possible, in the best possible way, the minister writes in an e-mail.
Rejects criticism
On Thursday, Minister of Justice Mehl on the Ukraine crisis in the Storting. Central was what is being done to bring refugees to Norway. She then stated that around 2.5 million refugees have so far come to Ukraine’s neighboring countries.
As Bergens Tidende reported last week, Mehl has received criticism from the opposition, which believes she has left an impression that Norway is waiting for a distribution of refugees from the EU.
– How does the Minister of Justice comment on BT’s case that the other Nordic countries confirm that there are NO negotiations in the EU on burden sharing – while you have previously claimed that work is underway in the EU to coordinate the member states’ needs?
– I made it clear to the Storting that a concrete European distribution mechanism has not yet been established, but that work is now underway in the EU to coordinate the EU countries’ needs. With the implementation of the Directive for Temporary Protection in the EU, a “Solidarity Platform” led by the Commission was established.
The commission will coordinate cooperation and exchange of information between the countries, especially in terms of reception capacity and the need for assistance, she explains.
– Norway is not bound by the EU, and makes its own decisions on these issues, but for this to happen in an orderly and responsible manner, it is important to have contact with the other countries.
– This is not true
– The opposition in the Storting (Conservative Party) believes that you have left an impression that Norway is waiting for a distribution of refugees from the EU. How would you possibly correct this impression if it is not true?
– The Conservatives must stand for their own interpretation, but this is not true. The government is working on various solutions to retrieve refugees from Ukraine’s neighboring countries. Norway has received a request to receive refugees from Moldova which is now being considered. No EU country has so far requested assistance in transferring refugees to Norway.
– We assess requests on an independent basis, but believe it is important for the refugees to put in place good solutions together with the other countries in Europe.
Will not quantify
Mehl will not answer how many refugees Norway can accept:
– It all depends on how the war develops, and it is not wise to quantify now. The government is rigging Norway to deal with the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis after World War II, and is following the situation closely.
– When can the government come up with a figure on how many refugees from the war Norway can receive?
As long as Russia continues to attack civilian targets and wage a ruthless war against Ukraine, this situation will be evolving. It is not responsible to time this now.
She still advises against private individuals bringing refugees to Norway.
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