Russia sends back expelled asylum seekers to Norway
Oslo says Moscow is sending back to Norway asylum seekers, previously expelled to Russia, as tensions over refugees seem to be growing between the two countries.
"It is our opinion that Russia is obligated to take back those people whom we are sending back to Russia," Norwegian State Secretary in the Justice Ministry Joran Kallmyr, told AFP on Sunday.
Kallmyr did not disclose how many asylum seekers were returned to Norway, but said that Moscow’s action was in violation of a bilateral agreement between the two countries.
"We will continue our dialogue with the Russian government and hopefully we will find a common understanding," Kallmyr said.
The refugees whom Russia sent back to Norway were being placed in police custody and would be resent back to Russia, he added.
Last week, Oslo announced it would send back to Russia those asylum seekers who have Russian residency permits without processing their asylum requests, arguing that Russia is a safe country for them.
Many of the refugees entering Norway come from Pakistan and Afghanistan through Russia in search for a better life in Europe.
Around 4,000 asylum seekers made a long cold route through the Arctic to cross the border since the beginning of 2015, compared with only 10, who made such crossing last year.
Norway has been complaining about lack of a "satisfactory" explanation from Moscow on why the numbers have soared, given the neighboring Finland has received almost no refugees via Russia.
Oslo even hinted that Russia might be exerting pressure on it because it was a NATO member.
Like other European countries, Norway is seeing an increase in the number of asylum seekers, with between 30,000 and 40,000 estimated to arrive by the end of 2015.
Norwegian authorities believe that most of the arrivals are not fleeing from civil war or persecution.
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