Rymma Sannufi decorates for her very first Norwegian Christmas. In May, she and her son fled Ukraine. And in August, the man followed. – We have already got an apartment and I like most of it, she says. She thrives in the Nordland municipality of Sortland. The municipality, with a population of around 10,000, has settled 200 refugees this year. Thus, they are among the municipalities that have accepted the most refugees compared to the population. Here you can see how many refugees your municipality has accepted. Table one of oneAlstahaug99Alta191Alvdal46Alver188Andøy84 Rymma Sannufi thrives in Sortland. – I enjoy myself very much, and live close to both the school and the shop, which is nice. Photo: Frida Brembo / news – A medium-sized municipality with a big heart – We were supposed to settle 20 refugees and a new decision was made with an increase of 180. That’s what Marit Sandver Seim says. She leads the integration service in Sortland municipality. – Why were there so many? – We did preliminary work with regard to what we had the capacity to receive. It is about the fact that we are a medium-sized municipality with a big heart. Sortland municipality has had many inquiries from landlords who have vacant premises. Photo: Frida Brembo / news Through the local newspaper, they got hold of both housing and resource persons who spoke the language. – On the housing side, we have had an incredible number of inquiries from landlords who have given us housing. It will not be a landlord’s eldorado. We are very careful to stay at a price level that reflects the market otherwise, she says. Historically large scope Rymma Sannufi is one of almost 30,000 refugees in Norway who are now in place in housing. – The resettlement of refugees has proceeded at a formidable speed and scale through 2022. This is due to a very large effort from many actors, and not least Norwegian municipalities. That’s what Libe Rieber-Mohn says. She is director of the Directorate of Integration and Diversity. – The municipalities have shown an ability to turn around and settle refugees on a historically large scale. During the last 6 months, we have settled more refugees than there have been settled in the last five years. Libe Rieber-Mohn is hopeful that more refugees will be resettled by next year. Photo: Raheela Chaudhry / Imdi Want to help Out in the sea in Rogaland is the municipality of Utsira. The municipality with around 200 inhabitants has agreed to settle 30 refugees. So far, 15 are in place. – It has been very nice. This is what deputy mayor Tove Helen Grimsby says to news. – Why have you said yes to so many? – It is because we have space. And we want to help when there is such a big crisis. When we have the opportunity, it goes without saying that we do it, she says. Utsira municipality has agreed to resettle 30 refugees. Photo: Atle Grimsby / Utsira municipality Until next year, the authorities estimate that 35,000 new refugees will arrive in the country. – The municipalities have until January to give feedback. And we have hope that the willingness to settle will remain high. At the same time, we receive feedback from some municipalities that there is a shortage of housing, and that there is pressure on the service provision in some municipalities, says Rieber-Mohn. And the mayor of Sortland municipality is clear that the refugees are a resource. – This is in many ways a resource for our local communities. The work that has been done is fantastic, says Karl-Erling Nordlund.
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Norway has accepted almost 30,000 refugees from Ukraine this year – news Nordland
