Parliament is holding an emergency debate on Thursday following claims by junior justice minister Fred Teeven that 1,000 refugees a week are currently arriving in the Netherlands.

The number of asylum seekers arriving in the Netherlands has gone up from 1,000 a month in February and March to around 1,000 a week, junior justice minister Fred Teeven said on Wednesday evening.

Teeven described the situation on television show Eén op één as ‘alarming’.

‘It would seem to be organised human smuggling,’ he said. ‘You can see it in the people’s clothes and the fact their stories have been coordinated. They also all appear to have the same amount of money with them.’

Southern Europe

The asylum seekers, mainly from Syria and Eritrea, arrive in the Netherlands by train from southern Europe, he said.

The increase in refugees is a European problem and should be tackled at a European level, said D66 parliamentarian Gerard Schouw.

Other MPs called for better controls at Europe’s external borders and more spot checks on the Dutch borders with Belgium and Germany. Spot checks are currently subject to strict limits under EU rules.

A spokesman for the border police said more capacity has been placed at the Dutch borders.

Refugee centres

Meanwhile, the central refugee organisation COA is working hard to cope with the influx and find sufficient accommodation. Some refugee centres which were closed as numbers fell are being re-opened.

‘We have seen the rise in pressure on care services and are looking for accommodation options,’ a spokesman told Nos television. ‘We have never seen such numbers.’

In some centres, recreation areas are being turned into temporary dormitories.