Brussels, 02/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - During her meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Wednesday 2 March, Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg confirmed that her country would take part in the European Union's mechanism for relocating refugees. She added that Norway would host 1,500 refugees.
The bilateral meeting between Juncker and Solberg focused on the migrant crisis and during the press conference that followed it, Solberg announced her country's commitment to hosting 1,500 people over two years as part of Norway's participation in the EU mechanism for relocating refugees (see EUROPE 11356). The EU member states should follow this example, Juncker commented.
Underlining the fact that this crisis was the biggest challenge facing Europe and that it needed a common response, Solberg stated that Norway would proceed with the resettlement of 3,000 displaced Syrian refugees on its territory in 2016, including Syrians in Turkey. Commending the work of the EU's external border management agency (Frontex), she also announced that Norway had decided to make a boat available to Frontex for a period of six months. (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)