Five municipalities ordered to take in asylum seekers

Discussions are ongoing between the Ministry of Justice and municipalities about the compulsory reception of asylum seekers in five municipalities. According to insiders, the process is still ongoing. It should be officially announced in the upcoming week which municipalities will be designated.

According to the NOS, on Saturday, State Secretary of Justice Ankie Broekers Knol called the Gorinchem Mayor Reinie Melissant to inform her the municipality will receive instructions to provide shelter. Melissant said she did not think it was fair that the municipality was chosen. "We are already doing a lot. Give the order to the hundreds of municipalities that are doing nothing," Melissant said to NOS.

Broekers reported to the Tweede Kamer on Friday that she is taking harder measures to arrange reception places for at least 2,000 asylum seekers in December. "The procedure followed so far is no longer sufficient. This means that measures must be taken that guarantee extra reception places," the minister of Asylum wrote.

Until now, it was unclear whether municipalities will be obliged to create shelters, but any indications are being discussed. Earlier, Broekers-Knol called this "very undesirable." Until now, she has repeatedly appealed to municipalities for extra asylum reception, but they could choose whether they wanted to comply.

A spokesperson for the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers did want to confirm which municipalities will be designated. More information is expected next week.