Asylum seeker numbers soar in 2011

(CS) The arrivals of asylum seekers in Luxembourg have increased significantly over the last four years to 1,986 this year alone, as of the end of November, more than twice as many than all of last year.

In 2007 only 426 applications were received, a number that has climbed by more than four and a half times over the last four years.

While Luxembourg has the right to refuse applications, it is under the obligation to give shelter to all arrivals until their cases have been dealt with. This has caused significant problems over the past year as numbers were as high as never before.

Authorities struggled to cope

Earlier this year several Iraqi asylum seekers went on hunger strike on Place Clairefontaine to protest the time it took for their applications to be processed.

In October the immigrations office temporarily closed because of its inability to deal with the incoming flood of asylum seekers. In November, authorities were pressed to find more suitable accommodation for the winter, as many asylum seekers were then housed in tents.

Out of the 1,225 decided cases so far, 621 were refused the right for international protection. Only 41 were granted refugee status.

Under the Dublin II agreement 144 asylum seekers were transferred to other EU members states, mainly Belgium and France.

The highest number of applications were received from Serbia (43.4%) and Macedonia (21.6%), followed by the Kosovo (6.7%).

Out of the 413 repatriations, most also came from Serbia, Kosovo and Macedonia. Only 19 repatriations were forced, while the rest left voluntarily.

In early November immigration minister Nicolas Schmit said he would meet with Serbian officials to make clear that the chances of being granted asylum in Luxembourg were slim, after 70 applications were received over the course of one week alone.

Quota to distribute responsibility evenly

In 2012 integration minister Marie-Josée Jacobs intends to start negotiations to introduce a quota system for the reception of asylum seekers in Luxembourg, as recent statistics show an imbalance across the country.

The canton Esch-Alzette for example houses 355 asylum seekers, a ratio of 0.23% to its population. The canton Echternach on the other hand houses 321 asylum seekers, making up a ratio of 1.97%.

At the moment the integration office depends on the solidarity of communes to accommodate asylum seekers, as well as already existing facilities. The quota regulation would involve all communes to take on responsibility, calculated either by certain percentage or a minimum intake of asylum seekers.

The state council is charged by the government to review the judicial aspects before any new regulations can be decided on.