Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees arrive daily at the National Arrival Center in Råde. For some, it takes several days before they are registered in the system. – Our big challenge is accommodation, says the UDI.
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As many as 35,000 asylum seekers can come to Norway during 2022, the UDI reports. 30,000 of these will then be from Ukraine. Recently, the Norwegian government also decided to retrieve 2,500 Ukrainians refugees from Moldova.
When refugees come to Norway, they must be registered and have their identity confirmed. Government temporary collective protection means that the settlement of Ukrainian refugees in the municipalities can take place much faster than in a normal, individual asylum process.
At the National Arrivals Center in Råde, however, chaotic conditions and long queues are reported. VG has been in contact with several people who are either refugees themselves, or have family who have been in contact with the reception. They describe what they perceive as reprehensible conditions.
Some report waiting times of up to 36 hours to register, lack of places to rest, and errors with the computer system. Many also claim that they have ended up having to leave the reception without having registered.
Borghild Fløtre, director of reception and return at the UDI, tells VG that it may have happened:
– If we experience that we can not have more people in Råde. We want a situation that is manageable, and then it may be advice someone has received to come back another day.
Demanding logistics
UDI director Frode Forfang has previously confirmed to NRK that there have been capacity problems at the reception. Fløtre states that it is a demanding logistics operation that must be handled when several hundred refugees arrive at the reception center daily.
– We are very concerned that everyone must be registered, so that they get this important The D-numberand so that they get into the system, get access to health care and other things, she says.
–Up to 2-3 days waiting time
According to Fløtre, the reception centers will be equipped to handle 3–400 new refugees daily. However, she says the capacity of the national arrival center has exploded.
– The pressure is great right now. In general, we know that more arrive than they have the capacity for.
Refugees who arrive in Råde must cover a waiting time of a maximum of 2-3 days, the UDI states.
– The average length of stay is now just over three days, says Fløtre.
This is far shorter than in ordinary conditions, according to Fløtre.
– It is usually planned that you can stay up to 21 days at the arrival center. We have removed parts of the process to make it as fast as possible. But it is still important that everything is done in an orderly manner. she says.
– Do you have a staffing problem or other challenges that cause the waiting time to be extended?
– We have scaled up the staff, hired two new logistics employees and will hire more staff. People who come here have many questions, and it is important that they receive adequate information.
–Lacking accommodation
The biggest challenge at the moment, says Fløtre, is to find enough beds for everyone who is waiting to register.
– We try to be ahead and relieve with hotels, but all the way it is about fast enough accommodation. We work hard to put in place more settlements and reception places.
Furthermore, Fløtre says that so far 18 different registration points have been established around the country, which they hope will ease the pressure.
– These people have been through a tough escape, so we understand that waiting for hours and days is difficult. We do our best to make things go as quickly as possible.
– Technical challenges have been reported. Is it still a problem?
– It was a day of ICT trouble this week, but it should be up to go again. But it is unfortunate that this happened, as there were fewer registered this day.
– We have also been told about poor hygienic conditions and little infection control. Is this the case and how do you handle this?
– We had an outbreak of the Norovirus a while ago, and it was not nice when it was on. But we have isolation barracks outside the arrival center for people who are infected with, for example, Covid-19, and then we have a good collaboration with the municipal health service, which is well staffed precisely to take care of infection control.
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