Dutch municipalities unsure how to handle a new influx of Ukrainian refugees this winter

The winter weather in Ukraine will continue to get colder in the coming week as the country struggles to make repairs after Russian attacks took out large portions of its energy infrastructure. Temperatures in Kyiv could fall below -8 degrees Celsius next week, prompting Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra to say the Netherlands will be ready to take more refugees from Ukraine if they decide to flee their home country because they cannot cope in buildings that cannot be heated. However, the Dutch municipalities themselves are also concerned that they are unable to take care of Ukrainian refugees’ needs.

About 40 percent of municipalities surveyed by NOS said they are running up against limits to their available space, and could soon have a shortage of places to put refugees. The broadcaster surveyed 174 of the 345 municipalities in the Netherlands, and found that sheltering refugees has gone well, but the provision of healthcare, mental healthcare, and education has not.

More than 84,000 refugees have already fled Ukraine and settled in the Netherlands, an increase of 5 percent in just a month. More than three-fourths of the refugees took up residence in a municipality-run reception center. Those reception spaces are now 97 percent full, according to NOS. Some municipalities can free up a few dozen places, but many others said it was too early to tell what they will be able to do.

Additionally, shelters in use now might not be available in the coming months. For example, homes in Soest being used by refugees are slated to be handed back to developers who plan to demolish them to build new complexes. Other municipalities are also facing rental contracts that will end.

Staff shortages have also made it difficult to provide security at reception areas, and the ongoing teacher shortage is also making it difficult to provide child refugees with education. "In addition, the shelter continues to ask for extra time from various other people in our organization, which means that other tasks may be left behind," said a spokesperson in Doetinchem.

"Regular work is now completely left behind, this cannot be compensated by the shortage on the labor market," said a spokesperson for Zaanstad to NOS.

In Lochem, volunteers who have helped enormously this year at five reception areas are being stretched beyond their limits. "It often concerns slightly older people who make great (physical) efforts, such as helping with collecting things, household goods, or furnishing apartments."

Additionally, municipalities have had trouble dealing with refugees who cause disturbances. There is no central location to place them, and they end up getting evicted or transferred from one location to the next. A spokesperson in Waalwijk said these people are now shuffled like “hot potatoes.”

As the psychological toll of the war continues, the municipalities are also concerned about a lack of structural solutions to help them while provider safer spaces for others.