Six Politicians Charged for Refusing Quota Refugees in Skåne
Local politicians in Skåne face charges for denying refugee acceptance as mandated by law.
Key Points
- • Six politicians in Staffanstorp charged with gross misconduct
- • Decision made in 2022 to refuse quota refugees
- • Prosecution argues violation of settlement laws
- • Legal precedent regarding municipal responsibilities questioned
Six local politicians from Staffanstorp, Skåne, have been charged with gross misconduct for refusing to accept quota refugees, which is required by Swedish law. This decision stemmed from a controversial 2022 directive from Migrationsverket that mandated the acceptance of four quota refugees, a directive the politicians ignored in favor of prioritizing refugees from Ukraine.
Christian Sonesson, the chairman of the municipal council, along with five other politicians, stands accused of violating laws designed to ensure municipalities fulfill their obligations to accept newly arrived refugees. On May 12, 2022, when the family arrived at Sturup airport, no representatives from Staffanstorp were present to receive them, with Sonesson previously stating, "We will not meet them at the airport."
Magdalena Petersson, the prosecutor, argued that the politicians abused their positions, causing significant consequences for the affected individuals and public trust. The refusal eventually led to the family being housed by Vellinge municipality instead. In legal terms, this case appears unprecedented, as there have been no prior rulings on municipalities rejecting refugee allocations, prompting questions about legal responsibilities in such matters.