Since 2022, Norway has sheltered more than 77,000 Ukrainians. Now the country’s authorities are discussing the return of some of the refugees to the Motherland. Currently, deportation cases of about a thousand Ukrainians are being considered.
Previously, all citizens of Ukraine automatically received the status of temporary protection in Norway. Now each case will be evaluated individually.
Now residents of three regions will not receive temporary protection
The local authorities are currently considering the possibility of returning only those refugees who have recently arrived from other European countries and have not yet received the status of temporary protection. More than 40% (370) of asylum cases currently processed in Norway are applications from men aged 18 to 60.
“Conscripting into military service and service in connection with war are not circumstances that in themselves are grounds for granting asylum in Norway. However, this must be assessed on a case-by-case basis,” – stated in the Norwegian Ministry of Justice.
One of the main factors that will currently influence the decision to grant asylum is the region of Ukraine where the refugee previously lived. The Directorate for Foreigners Affairs (UDI) has identified three safe regions: Lviv, Zakarpattia, and Volyn. The regions meet such criteria as a low number of cases of security threats, a low number of victims among the civilian population, the territory being under the full control of Ukraine.
This means that people from these three areas will most likely be denied temporary protection in Norway.
Risks remain
Mads Almaas, the head of the Norwegian Organization of Asylum Seekers (NOAS), believes that such a decision by the authorities is not entirely fair. In his opinion, today any region of Ukraine can be considered safe quite conditionally.
“Anyone who dares to say that these are safe areas in Ukraine in May 2024 is very optimistic at best. The Lviv, Zakarpattia, and Volhynia regions are located close to the border with Belarus. In addition, Russia has the ability to achieve goals throughout Ukraine, and the outcome of the war remains completely unpredictable,” the head of NOAS notes.
The influx of refugees has decreased significantly
Since the beginning of the year, the number of new refugees arriving in Norway has been steadily decreasing. During the past week, 311 applicants for the status of temporary protection came to the country. is 12% less than it was at the end of May 2023.
