Asylum seekers have to sleep on chairs in Ter Apel application center

Several asylum seekers have to sleep on a chair on Saturday in the application center in Ter Apel. People do not have to be transferred to other locations for shelter, said a spokesperson for the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA).

The spokesperson did not know how many people were affected. It was a lot quieter in Ter Apel on Saturday than earlier in the week, like on Thursday, when there were crowds around the entrance because many people wanted to enter at once.

The application center for asylum seekers has been very busy for a long time. There are not enough regular reception facilities to accommodate all asylum seekers. Emergency shelters specially set up for this purpose also do not offer enough space to provide everyone with a bed every night. In June, at least 100 people were forced to spend the night in chairs at the application center.