Emergency accommodation of asylum seekers has cost more than a half billion

Asylum Reception ForusStavanger. Asylum Reception Forus.Photo: Carina Johansen / NTB scanpix

The state will have paid almost 1.6 billion for acute accommodation of asylum seekers when the last sleeping accomodation agreement expires in June.

This was a solution that was available in the situation that arose, and was not  planned in advance. We did not that so many people would make use of it,  Director Christine Wilberg in UDI’s regional and receiving division summarizes to the newspaper Aftenposten.
The total cost of emergency accommodation will approach 1.6 billion on 30 June, when the last sleeping agreement expires, the newspaper listing.
The UDI will then in the period from August 31 last year to 30 June this year have hired 19,308 beds in campsites, conference centers and hotels.  This adds up to 120 hotels, campsites and conference centers in Norway where there have been over 2 million overnight stays in total, at prices ranging from 387 to 1000 kroner.
In addition to this, were the 81 million kroner in hotel expenses for unregistered asylum seekers who had to wait for registration at the Police Immigration Service (PU) in Toyen.
When it became clear that there would be more asylum seekers than the fluctuations previously experienced, UDI began to make direct purchases of additional places at existing reception centers. But already in late August, there were no more places left in the reception centers .
– To establish a reception center takes time. Because of this, we started to contact hotels and similar places that already provided sleeping accommodations or were prepared to do so, says Wilberg.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today