Denmark Recorded Lowest Number of Asylum Seekers in 2020

Only 1,547 persons filed an application for international protection in Denmark during 2020, according to the figures published by the country’s Ministry of Immigration and Integration.

Last year’s figures marked the lowest record in the number of asylum seekers registered in Denmark since 1998, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

The travel restrictions introduced due to the  Coronavirus pandemic and the spread of its new strains identified in different countries worldwide are the main reasons for the drastic decline in the number of asylum applications.

Figures show that the number of asylum seekers in 2020 is lower than one-tenth of the number registered in 2016, when a total of 21,316 persons sought international protection in Denmark, amid the peak of the migration crisis in Europe.

“Last year, we had the lowest number of asylum seekers in living memory. A part of the reason for this is likely to be the coronavirus situation. But I also think we can thank our strict immigration policies,” the Minister of Social Democratic immigration, Mattias Tesfaye pointed out in this regard.

In 2019, authorities in Denmark stressed that some Syrian asylum seekers might be sent back to Damascus, after the Immigration Service’s estimation that the area’s conditions were no longer considered dangerous enough for international protection to be granted automatically.

Even though some refugees of Syria had their asylum revoked due to this assessment, some reports published later clarified that they were not initially deported due to the lack of cooperation between Denmark’s government and the Bashar al-Assad regime, in Damascus.

The declaration that Damascus was safe enough to return refugees caused many polemics back then.

The Minister of Social Democratic immigration, Mattias Tesfaye added that the country needs to limit the number of further arrivals due to the difficulties to repatriate the rejected persons who seek asylum in Denmark.

“Fewer asylum seekers mean, all other things being equal, lower spending on processing applications, accommodation and deportation of those whose claims for asylum are rejected. We can spend that money on more welfare at home and on persecuted people in local regions [near to conflict zones, ed.],” he said.

In 2019, a total of 2,716 persons sought international protection in Denmark, marking a 57 per cent decrease between the figures of 2019 and 2020.

Last month, authorities in Denmark allocated €6 million to help the six countries of Western Balkans deal with migrants who currently remain in their territories and strengthen their borders to stop the further illegal migration.