Two-thirds of Dutch municipalities missing asylum distribution law deadline
According to the Asylum Distribution Law, which was never scrapped by former Asylum Minister Marjolein Faber, all Dutch municipalities must create a total of 96,000 shelter places for asylum seekers by July 1. At the moment, two-thirds of municipalities have not achieved their target, RTL Nieuws reports after analyzing what the municipalities are doing.
According to figures from the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), the Dutch municipalities have created 72,728 shelter places so far. That means that over 23,000 places still need to be created this month for the legal target to be achieved.
The Asylum Distribution Law allows the national government to oblige municipalities to take in a fair share of asylum seekers. It gave each municipality a number of shelter places to create. The Schoof I Cabinet wanted to scrap the law, but never got so far as actually doing it. And municipalities are expected to comply with it as long as it is in force. Currently, 127 of the 342 Dutch municipalities have achieved their targets. The other 215 municipalities have created too few asylum spaces or none at all.
A survey by RTL Nieuws showed that several municipalities already have concrete locations designated to become asylum shelters, but they will not open until later this year or next year. Many others said they are not that far yet, but do intend to meet their share. A handful told the broadcaster that they do not intend to follow the law.
Ruchphen, Castricum, and Waalre said that they do not have space available. Achtkarspelen and Bunschoten said that opening a shelter was impossible due to “social and political circumstances.”
Best said it wanted to do its share, but was struggling with public support after various protests. “Conflicting signals” from the national government are complicating matters further, the municipality said.
Several municipalities also told the broadcaster that they are already doing enough and do not intend to accommodate more asylum seekers. Enschede called it “unfeasible” to shelter 21 unaccompanied children, for example. And Leidschendam-Voorburg said the 280 asylum seekers it is accommodating are enough. It does not intend to create 110 additional places.
