Minister preparing to accept refugees

We need to show international solidarity and accept refugees, says Jenis av Rana, the Minister of Culture and Foreign Affairs.

“We live in a rich society with top-class schools, healthcare and social services, so I think it is wrong to claim that we do not have the social infrastructure to take in refugees.”

The minister is referring to the Prime Minister’s statement from 18 August that it is not possible to take Afghan refugees to the Faroes at short notice.

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Rana believes the Prime Minister failed to distinguish between refugees who are currently fleeing Afghanistan and people who have been living in refugee camps for years.

“We are probably not prepared to take in deeply traumatised people fleeing Afghanistan at this point,” he says.

“But we can start building a political framework for refugees, and then eventually we can begin hosting long-term refugee camp residents.”

He has notified the Prime Minister of his intentions and expects to have a constructive dialogue about the matter.

Read the Faroese version of this article here.

Translated by prosa.fo.

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