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Denmark registers record low single-month refugee number since 2011

Xinhua, December 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

No more than 300 foreigners sought asylum in Denmark in November, the lowest number in a single month since August 2011, according to the Ministry of Immigration and Integration on Tuesday.

The Scandinavian country has registered 284 asylum seekers in November, significantly lower than the same month last year when about 5,100 foreigners sought asylum, according to the ministry.

November's number is also the lowest in a single month since August 2011, when 274 foreigners sought asylum.

"The figure is significantly lower than the same month of the previous two years, and it shows that our tight immigration policy with the joint initiatives at EU level works," said Immigration and Integration Minister Inger Stoejberg in a statement.

"The government has recently been expanded to three parties that have made a common government platform with a focus on foreign policy," the minister added.

Denmark has ushered in border control measures since January 4 and it was extended numerous times since then.

Other measures to deter migrants from coming to the country include a controversial rule allowing police to confiscate their valuables to help pay for their accommodation, and legislation to allow police to turn back asylum seekers at its borders.

The Danish government has previously estimated that about 6,000 people would seek asylum by November. In 2015, the country has received 21,300 asylum seekers, while the figure was around 14,800 in 2014. Endit