Norway sees rise in number of asylum seekers

STOCKHOLM, Oct. 15 — The Norwegian Immigration Directorate (UDI) said there were more asylum seekers going to Norway this year, according to reports reaching here from Oslo on Wednesday.

"So far this year 13,379 asylum seekers have arrived in Norway. This is nearly as many as for the whole of last year, when around 14,400 applied for asylum," reported Norway's online newspaper The Norway Post.

"Of the near 14,000 asylum seekers who have arrived this year, 24 percent come from Afghanistan, 15 percent from Eritrea, 11 percent from Somalia and 7 percent from Iraq," the paper cited latest UDI statistics.

A total of 1,612 people applied in September alone. This was 66 more than in September last year. Around 14 percent of the asylum seekers classify themselves as single minors, added the report.

According to the proposed budget for 2010, Norway's expenses in connection with asylum reception centers, immigration and integration will increase by two billion kroner (about 400 million U.S. dollars) compared with last year, reaching 9.5 billion kroner (1.9 billion U.S. dollars). (PNA/Xinhua) ALM/ebp

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