Norway starts fast-track procedure to reject asylum seekers via Russia

The Norwegian government said on Wednesday it has started a fast-track procedure to reject applications from asylum seekers arriving in the Scandinavian country after having resided in Russia.

Norway's Ministry of Justice and Public Security has instructed the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) and the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) to reject those applications without considering individual cases in depth, the ministry said in a statement.

"This is a group of asylum seekers that we do not consider to be at risk of persecution in Russia. Their decision to leave Russia for Norway is a misuse of the asylum system," Minister of Justice and Public Security Anders Anundsen was quoted as saying.

"The ministry has given clear instructions that applications from this group are to be dealt with while the people concerned are still at the Storskog border crossing facilities," he added.

The intention is that asylum seekers who do not qualify for in-depth consideration of their cases will be rapidly returned to Russia, according to the statement.

The Norwegian parliament, known as the Storting, last week passed proposed legislative amendments that give the immigration authorities greater opportunity to refuse to process an asylum application if the asylum seeker has already resided in a safe third country.

The emergency legislation proposal came as growing numbers of refugees were entering Norway at the northern border crossing station Storskog from Russia.

"The government's proposed amendment to the legislation was fast-tracked through the Storting last week, and I am pleased that we can now implement these changes," Anundsen said.

The legislative changes will also make it easier for the police to detain asylum seekers or require them to stay in a particular place should this be necessary to ensure a rapid decision process, the justice ministry said. Endit