Off the wire
• China playing central role in nuclear power development: IAEA chief  • China calls on to reflect on root causes of current refugee crisis  • 1st LD Writethru: Oil prices drop as equity markets stump  • Exercise-induced muscle molecule shown to build bone: study  • Activists gather in Strasbourg demanding action from EU on refugee crisis  • Urgent: UN General Assembly closes 69th session  • Hungarian authorities roll razor-wired railroad car onto last unofficial Serbia-Hungary crossing  • Pentagon alleges Russia intends to build military base in Syria  • Urgent: U.S. dollar falls ahead of Fed meeting  • Urgent: Oil prices drop as equity markets stump  
You are here: 　 Home

Sweden rules out closing borders temporarily to limit refugee admissions

Xinhua, September 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

Sweden's prime minister on Monday ruled out closing the country's borders temporarily in order to limit refugee admissions.

Stefan Lofven said that while he respected Germany's decision to limit free movement into the country, he saw no present reason for Sweden to follow suit, public broadcaster Swedish Television reported.

"I am hopeful when I hear that people want to do more (to handle the influx of refugees to Europe) but I am also worried that some do not want to shoulder their responsibility," Lofven said at a press conference that followed a meeting between him and European Parliament President Martin Schulz.

The pair had discussed finding a common solution to a crisis that according to Lofven could see a million refugees flee to the continent in 2015, the channel reported.

Last year Sweden received the highest number of asylum applications per capita of all EU countries, according to figures from Eurostat.

EU ministers met on Monday evening to settle on a distribution plan for 120,000 refugees after a month in which migrants have poured into southern parts of the continent.

"We have to find a solution not only for the 120,000 refugees we are talking about, but a long-term solution for the refugee issue," said Schulz, adding that Germany's temporarily shut borders was only a temporary fix. Endit