The Swedish Migration Agency has been given the green light to begin organising trips to Uganda and Turkey, where many refugees live in tent camps.
Sweden will, among other things, receive people from Afghanistan, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Initially, two-thirds of those received should be women, girls and vulnerable groups such as LGBTQI people.
Ahead of 2026, the agency requested information from the government on December 17 last year. However, it was not until Monday that the Ministry of Justice provided its response.
A: Despite all the criticism
Because the response came so late, the Swedish Migration Agency had to cancel two of its four planned travel delegations, and the goal of receiving 900 quota refugees per year will not be met. Instead, the agency estimates that 350 people will be able to receive protection this year.
The Swedish Migration Agency has not received any explanation for the delay.
This handling is completely unacceptable, says Ida Karkiainen, the Social Democrats’ migration policy spokesperson.
They have boasted that they will accept people fleeing persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, or who are women or children. Then they have not lived up to their commitment.
Similar criticism has come from other parties on the left.
My opinion is that the Liberals and the Christian Democrats have not kept their promises ahead of the 2022 election. They have not been able to stand up to the Sweden Democrats and ensure that Sweden accepts the most vulnerable, says Center Party spokesperson Niels Paarup-Petersen.
He believes the announcement is coming now because Sweden is governed by a caretaker government, which must deal with all ongoing decisions.
MP: Shameful
Annika Hirvonen, the Green Party’s migration policy spokesperson, wants to return to the quota level in place before the Tidö parties took power in 2022.
We in the Green Party want Sweden to return to accepting 5,000 [refugees] and are strongly critical of the government’s drastic cut to 900. The fact that it will now be only 350 is shameful. Sweden is capable of helping more, she says.
The Left Party and the Center Party also want Sweden to increase the number of refugees to 5,000 a year again. The Center Party says this should happen “gradually”.
Meanwhile, the Social Democrats are sticking to 900.
Yes, we believe so, says Karkiainen, adding that everything will be subject to government negotiations.
The Center Party does not think Sweden should make up for the government’s late announcement by accepting an additional 550 people in 2027.
