AMSTERDAM, Sept 13 (Askume) – The Dutch government said on Friday it plans to take steps to restrict immigration in the coming months, including a ban on all new applications.Just days ago, Germany announced new border controls to stem the flow of unwanted migrants.
The new government, led by the anti-Islam PVV party of nationalist Geert Wilders, said it would declare a national asylum crisis, allowing it to take measures to curb migration without parliamentary consent.
Opposition parties have questioned whether the move is necessary or legal, but PVV Immigration Minister Marjolein Faber said she was using the opportunity provided by the country’s own immigration laws to act.
“We are taking steps to make the Netherlands as unattractive as possible for refugees,” Faber said in a statement.
Eurostat data shows that the Netherlands received two first-time asylum applications per 1,000 inhabitants in 2023, which is on par with the EU average. Ten European countries had relatively high numbers of asylum seekers last year.
But after years of budget cuts, the country’s only refugee registration centre is struggling to cope with the influx of migrants, leaving hundreds of refugees to live on the streets in sometimes deplorable conditions.
Despite the relatively low numbers, Prime Minister Dick Scarfe said it was necessary to stem the flow of migrants to address housing market problems and improve access to health care and education.
“I don’t want to say it’s the only problem, but the truth is it doesn’t help,” Shaw said.
The government reiterated its aim to obtain an exemption from EU asylum rules , although this is likely to face opposition from Brussels as EU countries have agreed their own migration deal.
“We have passed this law and it is a general principle that you cannot opt out of a law passed by the EU,” EU spokesman Eric Mamer said.
The government previously said it would stop allowing open asylum, limiting options for asylum seekers to meet family.
It will also begin work on a law that would defer all decisions on new applications for up to two years and limit the facilities provided to asylum seekers.
Wilders won last year’s election on a promise to impose the strictest immigration rules in the EU. In May, he successfully formed a cabinet with three right-wing allies, but only after abandoning his ambition to become prime minister.
Instead, the cabinet is led by the Schaff, an unelected, non-partisan bureaucrat.
The Netherlands will also introduce stricter border controls to combat human trafficking and curb irregular migration.
