Rejected asylum-seeker flight costs escalate

According to the new figures, the number of chartered flights increased from 90 to 130 between 2011 and 2012.

Costs of the flights vary greatly, ranging from 40,000 kronor ($6,900) to 1,300,000.

The costs are set to escalate further, according to a budget proposal submitted by the the Prison and Probation Service to the government for the years 2013-2016.

Planes are chartered when the individual or individuals due for deportation are either too violent for a scheduled flight, or if there a large number heading to the same destination.

Countries such as Iraq have featured on a regular basis in recent years, with a large number of rejected asylum-seekers originating from the Middle Eastern country.

Syria has in the past year become the most common country of origin for people seeking asylum in Sweden, with an increase of some 486 percent between January-February 2012 and the corresponding period of 2013.

The number of asylum-seekers from second and third placed Somalia and Afghanistan have both declined over the period, by 20 and 25 percent respectively.

TT/The Local/pvs

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