The City of Reykjavík and the Directorate of Immigration this morning signed an agreement to provide services to up to 90 asylum seekers, RÚV reports. This will be the first time the city offers families of asylum seekers services. The head of the Directorate of Immigration says the high number of asylum seekers necessitates more such agreements.
Originally, the City of Reykjavík and the Directorate of Immigration made an agreement in 2013, which was amended last year. That contract covered 70 individuals. Kristín Völundardóttir, head of the Directorate of Immigration, is pleased with the new agreement, covering 90 people, including families. She told RÚV she believes more agreements must be made quickly to meet the stream of refugees into the country.
She reports negotiations are underway with Hafnarfjörður. Right now, the directorate is handling the cases of 120 people. Reykjavík Mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson states that a much larger agreement is conceivable:
“Yes, it’s not at all out of the question, and other municipalities must, of course, step in, and then we’re in fact waiting for official reaction from a ministerial committee regarding the issue of refugees, regarding the so-called quota refugees, as well as others who come in addition to them.”
