Dutch government provides 730 million 20,000 places for asylum seekers, but agrees to ‘decent containment’

The Dutch government is temporarily amending the family reunification scheme in order to reduce the influx of asylum seekers. Recognized refugees are not allowed to bring their families to the Netherlands immediately, but only if they have their own accommodation. If this is not possible, the family can come only after 15 months. According to Minister of State for Asylum Van den Berg, a few hundred people per week will come to the Netherlands as a result. This measure will be in effect until the end of 2023. In addition, the Netherlands is temporarily suspending the deal with Turkey to take in more than 1,000 refugees from Turkish camps each year.

With the announced measures, the painful conditions in Ter Apel will not disappear immediately, the government admits. It may take another two weeks.

Ter Apel has been in the news in recent days, for some residents, the situation has been spiraling out of control:

A sign read, “We are tired of this situation.” “There is an urgent need to find a solution for these people and also for us. From the Cabinet. The government is doing something,” one of hundreds of local residents told the application center in Ter Abel. “We promise every day that everyone will be there by 10pm, but it’s not true,” said an elderly lady. “And that’s why we’re out on the street.”