EU politicians and NGOs have criticized Denmark’s refugee policy; which includes the decision to deem portions of Syria “secure” and proposals to relocate its asylum facilities to non-EU nations. They organized a session for the discussion of this crucial matter. It was all about the immigrants and the refugees in Denmark.
During a session with the European Union’s Council for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on Thursday, January 13, Denmark’s Minister for Immigrants and Inclusion Mattias Tesfaye justified his nation’s asylum approach.
Tesfaye’s administration wants to “establish a new asylum system that is better and more compassionate” and “remove temptations for undocumented immigrants,” according to him.
Denmark’s Anti-migration Policies
The primary points raised by Tesfaye during his discussion with EU legislators were twofold: To begin with, Denmark declared regions of Syria “secure” and then withdrew domestic safety from thousands of Syrians. Secondly, Denmark’s plan to relocate the asylum procedure outside of the EU.
Denmark was the first EU nation to announce that areas of Syria, specifically Damascus and its surroundings, were safe.’ Thousands of refugees have had their legal recognition revoked as a result of this. While no illegal migrants to Syria have been recorded from Denmark so far, those who have lost their security are generally unable to function and are compelled to reside in pre-deportation shelters apart from their families and friends.
The Danish parliament enacted a bill in June requiring asylum applicants to be sent to nations outside of Europe to have their applications examined. This is the latest in a series of regulations intended at limiting the number of immigrants and refugees in Denmark.
Criticism against Danmark’s policies
As per a report by The Local, many LIBE committee members raised worry that Denmark’s practices were not under Eu unity because they urged people to abandon Denmark for other EU nations.
According to The Local, Danish news wire, Ritzau reported that Dutch MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld of the centrist Renew group critiqued the action to strip Syrians of their political asylum, inquiring the Danish official “how do you anticipate them (the refugees) to incorporate in Denmark with the risk of being sent back.”
Tesfaye allegedly justified his country’s tactics, claiming that the process “must be offshored from the EU” to “remove temptations for undocumented immigrants and clear the way for a more organized asylum process.”
He claimed that the government plan “is not against” the European Commission’s proposed EU accord on immigration and refugees, but that more must be done to “disrupt this loop and challenge the traffickers’ concept.”
UN Refugee Agency against Policies
Denmark’s harsh immigration and refugee policies have drawn condemnation from EU MEPs, the UNHCR, and a number of non-governmental organizations.
Gillian Triggs, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Security, noted that these practices jeopardize the individual rights needing safeguarding, “demonizing” and condemning them and putting their lives in massive danger.
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) has slammed the government’s policy of labelling Syria ‘Safe’.
