Temporary Refugee Center in Leeuwarden to Close by January

The emergency shelter for refugees at the WTC in Leeuwarden will close before January. The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) aims to relocate the residents by then.

A replacement location for the 60 asylum seekers currently housed there is still being sought. The WTC site served as an overflow location to relieve the registration center in Ter Apel, opening in March with a capacity for 250 people.

Refugees were supposed to stay a maximum of ten days awaiting registration, which could extend by an additional 20 days once registered. However, these limits were frequently exceeded, with some staying over 60 days.

Complaints emerged from refugees about inadequate food, psychological pressure from staff, and lack of sufficient medical care. Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland addressed these issues and expressed concerns about prolonged stays.

“We hope for better quality accommodations,” a spokesperson told Omrop Fryslân. COA location manager Miranda Bakker noted a decline in numbers at the WTC and stated that Ter Apel currently has night shelter space.

Bakker acknowledged challenges in adhering to stay limits, attributing delays to other locations. The COA aims to vacate the premises by December 31, needing staff for other sites.

Source: NOS

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