Amsterdam’s city council approved the use of a cruise ship to shelter at least one thousand extra asylum seekers in the Westelijk Havengebied.
Asylum seekers can stay on the cruise ship for up to six months starting on October 1, reports NU.nl.
Severe shelter shortage
The municipalities are using these ships to cope with the shortage of shelter places for asylum seekers. Initially, the cruise ship in Westelijk Havengebied will accommodate 1000 people — but this could easily reach 1500.
Alderman Rutger Groot Wassink of Amsterdam, who manages social affairs and refugees, emphasises this is a short-term solution.
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“It is important that the central government and municipalities reform the asylum chain so that these emergency solutions aren’t necessary in the future and people can be accommodated in a fixed place.” Well said!
Flexible funding
Parts of the agreement on the reception of asylum seekers is that Amsterdam receives a maximum of €12 million from the government to build at least a thousand flexible homes and accommodate the asylum seekers on the cruise ship.
The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) is responsible for management and operation. Asylum seekers can do volunteer work and take part in programmes for education, care, and other activities.
What comes next?
The reception of asylum seekers on large cruise ships was one solution to the shelter crisis. However, it is difficult for the Dutch cabinet to solve the problem without help from the municipalities.
For example, residents of the town Albergen wanted to buy a hotel to stop the reception of asylum seekers in the area. Similarly, the Vlissingen municipal council cancelled the plans to receive asylum seekers on a cruise ship after strong resistance.
For now, Amsterdam will receive 2100 asylum seekers and status holders apart from Ukrainian asylum seekers sheltered in the city.
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