Three cruise ships will soon become the temporary home of asylum seekers in the Netherlands, says State Secretary Eric van der Burg.
But the plan is not exactly problem free. 🙄
As you’ve probably heard a few times already, the Netherlands has struggled to deal with the number of asylum seekers arriving for a while now, and the Dutch government has labelled the current situation as an asylum crisis.
The situation has made them pretty desperate to find alternative ways to host those seeking a better life.
Unsure about the specifics
The state secretary could not tell RTL Nieuws where the vacation vehicles will be stationed, but he seemed very sure about the fact that (at least) one out of three ships will arrive in August.
That’s some information, at least, but the creative plan does give off a slightly chaotic vibe. 🤔
READ MORE | Boost for tourism — cruise ships are finally returning to the Netherlands
It’s still unclear (or at least unknown to the public) where the ships will be located, so we’ll be holding our collective breath in anticipation of more definitive information.
However, the plan to receive three cruise ships to help with managing asylum seekers may not have Dutch people’s support.
The municipality of Vlissingen was initially in favour of the solution but withdrew its decision upon stark resistance from local residents. 🤐
Ukrainian refugees most popular
Due to the overpopulation of many asylum centres, the government is trying many new tactics for distributing people across the country.
One new development this year has been that certain municipalities are open to hosting Ukrainian refugees, but not other nationalities (how charming). 👌🏽
Therefore, the government is considering options for placing Ukrainian refugees in municipalities where they are particularly welcome and thereby freeing up space in other parts of the country (where they don’t care as much about the nationality of those in need).
READ MORE | Dutch universities to significantly reduce tuition fees for Ukrainian refugees
If you think this attitude sounds a bit iffy, you might be relieved to hear that municipalities soon will be obliged to cooperate with the national government’s asylum policies, whether they like it or not. A new law is in the making, which hopefully will make the whole thing a bit more streamlined. 😎
What do you think of the Dutch solution to host asylum seekers on cruise ships? Tell us in the comments below!