Here the Civil Defense runs the reception – lacks people to operate – NRK Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
– It came as a bit of a surprise, I must be honest to admit, says Nina Basberg.
Actually, she should have taught for students she is a contact teacher for at Steinsfjorden Montesorriskole.
Instead, she stands and registers and helps Ukrainian refugees who arrive Kongsberg emergency accommodation.
She has found duvets, sheets and pillows for the bedroom. A Ukrainian woman comes and asks to borrow a pram. Soon there will be a rolling.
– It is very rewarding to be able to help and contribute, says Basberg.
She has been with the Civil Defense since 2018 and has been called out to stand up, because the state is struggling to get its own actors to run reception.
– I think the UDI was pretty desperatet. We are the state’s naudressurs, victory Ivar Løkeng, district chief of the Civil Defense Buskerud.
Had only 1750 seats
After Russia entered Ukraine, thousands of refugees have come to Norway with private help. Now the Norwegian government has also begun to take a stand.
The challenge is that 120 of the actors who ran the reception for the around 30,000 refugees who came here in 2015, now do other things.
Knut Berntsen, section chief in the Directorate of Immigration (UDI), informs Norway before the war only had 1750 reception places and a dozen operating operators.
There are already an estimated 10,000 Ukrainian refugees in the country, and the state will equip itself for a total of 35,000.
– We have a lot of building stock that we are not entirely sure of who we can get to run a reception on, says Berntsen.
– Can they not just use hotels?
– We do it to a large extent, but if people are going to live there for a while, the other types of services are needed, and then we need an operator, says Berntsen.
Had to secure against abuse
In the absence of actors, the UDI was content to call the Civil Defense to run a reception at Kongsberg for ten days in the start-up phase.
– We are very aware that these are not resources that should be misused. We make use of the Civil Defense when it is very necessary, says the section chief.
The civil defense had to go several rounds with the UDI when they received the phone call about the assignment.
– One must be sure that they do not actually abuse us, that they have actually tried out all the possibilities that are. I got that impression by talking at several levels in the UDI and then it was quite easy to do it, says district manager Ivar Løkeng.
He emphasizes that it is a big deal to take people out of their usual jobs as teachers, chefs and kindergarten assistants, to work two days left in a row.
– What do people say when they are asked to come?
– It’s a little different. People have agreements, of course, both privately and not least at work. But when it comes down to it, people contribute. And I notice that this is a little special. This is something more than going out on a forest fire, says Løkeng.
– Very important to contribute
This is confirmed by chef Andreas Holth, who passed has probably been placed in the reception kitchen, where he prepares the next day’s breakfast.
– It is a bit special and different, but it is very important to contribute what you can, says Holth.
– What is it like to meet everyone who comes here? There are many families with children?
– It does something to you, and there are many strong impressions. At the same time I get optimistic, because you notice that they have joy and enthusiasm, it’s good. They express that they feel like a safe home to be in, so it’s good to be right, says Holth.
Hope it resolves soon
The UDI is now negotiating with a player to take over the reception at Kongsberg fairly quickly.
They do not consider it necessary to call out the Civil Defense to take over the start-up of reception of other places in the country, as they have a good dialogue with private companies and some municipalities.
– We have also tried to mobilize the voluntary efforts and the large humanitarian organizations. Several of them have said that they can also go in between and run a reception, says Berntsen.
In three weeks, they have gone from 19 to 65 receptions around the country, including hotels that are in use, Berntsen follows.
In addition, the UDI makes plans in case there are up to 100,000 refugees. Then it may be relevant to mobilize everything gets municipalities to the voluntary effort, and accommodate people in, for example, gyms.
– We can imagine that we will use large facilities with thousands of places, preferably simple conditions and then with the hope of quick settlement and a race against the municipalities, says Berntsen.