Funding dispute on Aliens Act vs health service

The transfer of jurisdiction of immigration affairs is proving to be a difficult matter for the Faroese Parliament.

The Foreign Affairs Committee recently submitted a report regarding the proposal to take over responsibility of certain key administrative fields within immigration matters from Danish authorities.

An agreement has been made with Danish authorities that future indeterminate residency permits may involve a requirement that a foreign national either has a certain linguistic affiliation with the Faroes or some other form of affiliation deemed relevant to integration into Faroese society.

Immigration versus health

Coalition members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, backed by a Self-Government Party member, support the proposal.

Two MPs say they will decide once the matter is brought up again in Parliament, while Union Party MP and former Prime Minister Kaj Leo Holm Johannesen believes it is wiser to spend the proposed takeover budget on the national health service.

The proposed jurisdiction takeover budget is estimated at DKK 1.8 million in additional Immigration Office salary costs.

Translated by prosa.fo