The law, which makes it possible to revoke the residence permit, was passed during the refugee crisis in 2015.
Authorities have assessed that several areas around Syria’s capital, Damascus, are now safe enough for refugees to return home. And therefore, Syrians from these areas get their residence permit revoked.
– If you do not need protection, you can not get asylum, even if you want to contribute to Danish society, says Mattias Tesfaye.
He refers to the fact that the legislation was decided by a broad majority in the Folketing, and says that the government does not want to change the legislation.
– As we protect those who need to be protected, the government does not believe that the legislation should be changed, says Mattias Tesfaye.
Denmark is not cooperating with the Syrian regime under President Bashar al-Assad. Therefore, the actual forced repatriation cannot take place, and persons whose residence permit has been revoked will have to sit in exit centers until departure is possible.
Foreigners and integration spokesman for the Radical Left Kristian Hegaard is critical of the economic burden it will have on society.
– The people who are deprived of their residence permits will sit in exit centers and instead of contributing to society as they could, they become a financial burden for society at 300,000 kroner a year, he says.
Kristian Hegaard believes that it is problematic that Minister of Foreign Affairs Mattias Tesfaye has only referred to a single report which describes Syria as being safe.
The report has been criticized, as 11 out of 12 oral sources will not stand by the report, says Hegaard.
– In its press release in June 2020, it was the only report the Minister used. All the arguments for advancing the cases lay in that report, he says.
During the consultation, Rosa Lund (EL), spokesperson for foreigners and integration in the Unity List, also questions the usefulness of the report.
Source: The Nordic Page
