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– We now have a list of about 30 people that we hope to receive by the end of January. There are Syrian families with children. They will be reviewed, their identities will be clarified and then they will be collected as soon as possible, Minister for Children and Families Kjell Ingolf Ropstad (KrF) tells NRK.
He says the first 30 will likely arrive in Norway in January. It was VG who reported this on Friday.
– We are on the way to the 50 that we promised to release, he says.
On 28 November, 2,847 candles were placed outside Eidsvolls plass in a support poster for children in the refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. On Friday it became clear that 30 refugees were selected for relocation to Norway.
Photo: Jil Yngland / NTB
On September 9, the UDI was ordered to begin work on the relocation of refugees from Greece to Norway. This was the same day as the great fire on Lesbos, where the entire Moria camp collapsed. Since then, the around 7,500 residents of the camp have been housed in a makeshift camp.
Call for more
– Why has it taken so long?
– Achieving this has taken more time than we would like. From the Norwegian side, we have constantly boosted speed. The Greek authorities have faced challenges related to the pandemic and the coordination of relocation in many European countries, while at the same time taking time.
The Minister of Children and Families, Kjell Ingolf Ropstad (KrF), says that refugees from the camp on the island of Levsos in Greece will likely be in Norway in January.
Photo: Jil Yngland / NTB
More than 100 Norwegian municipalities have signed a petition demanding that Norway contribute to the evacuation of the children from Moria. Save the Children delivered 86,186 signatures to the government in November.
– What do you think of the fact that many people think that the number that Norway collects is too low?
– There is no majority to get refugees in Moria, however KrF achieved a great advance for this in the government, to get 50 from Moria, says Ropstad.
– On the part of KrF, we would like there to be more, but that is why we have fought so that we take 3000 quota refugees, which we obtain from Moria, but also from other refugee camps where there are people who are in a very demanding situation and will have a new start in life in Norway.
More than 1,600 unaccompanied minors seeking asylum and vulnerable families have also been rescued through the EU relocation program. These have been transferred to Belgium, Finland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal and Germany.
– Very few
The resource group “Evacuate the children of Moria” says the government must accelerate the increase in the number of refugees from Moria to Norway.
– Of course we are happy that 30 people can finally start a better life in Norway. It is time for a movement to take place. But 30 is very few, when we know how many suffer. The number must be increased and the government must set the pace, writes Christina Grefsrud-Halvorsengruppen in the resource group “Evacuate the children of Moria” in a statement.
– While they wait, the children of Moria freeze. The rain is pouring down around their tents. They are human beings, but they are treated inhumanely, he says.
