Swedish asylum rejects not welcome in Denmark, says Støjberg

Neighbours “have no-one but themselves to blame for the current mess they’re in”, says minister

Shifa Rahaman

Nov 9, 2015

Sweden announced on Thursday that it can no longer guarantee that all asylum-seekers attempting to come to the country will be granted accommodation, encouraging some to return to Germany or Denmark instead.

No-one but themselves to blame
This prompted a response from the minister for immigration and integration, Inger Støjberg, who placed the blame squarely on Sweden’s shoulders.

“First and foremost, I’d like to say that the Swedes have no-one but themselves to blame for the current mess they’re in. They’ve pursued a very lenient immigration policy for years,” Støjberg told Jyllands-Posten.

Refugees not welcome
Støjberg, who has already spearheaded a campaign that published ads in Lebanese papers dissuading refugees from coming to Denmark, was asked what the government would do if the refugees took Sweden’s advice, to which she said she would not be opposed to taking further measures to keep them at bay.

Reforms in progress

Venstre, along with its allies in the blue bloc, is working hard to push through reforms that would make it harder for refugees to enter Denmark.

Dansk Folkeparti leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl has expressed his frustration with the current slow pace of reform – especially given what is happening in Sweden.

“The focus of these proposals is to communicate that the refugees granted asylum are only here temporarily and should not expect to remain in Denmark forever,” he said according to TV2.

In response, Støjberg has stressed she is yet to see concrete proposals brought to the table by DF, but is open to anything the party suggests in the future.