Date: Thursday, 13 September 2018
The liberated persons from the sea container in Rotterdam WaalhavenTwelve migrants decided to apply for asylum in the Netherlands and were transferred to Ter Apel. Four migrants were sent to Germany, where they had previously applied for asylum. Two were put on the street. "How is it that these people just disappear into illegality?", Council member Van Elck van Leefbaar wondered.
Wijbenga also said that three climbers are caught in the port of Rotterdam three times a day. He contradicts that there is an alarming increase in the number of migrants in Rotterdam. "These people did not come for Rotterdam, but for England."
Van Elck wanted to know if there was an 'alarming increase' in the influx of migrants in Rotterdam and whether drones were used to track down climbers earlier.
PVV council member Maurice Meeuwissen suggested to build a fence around Rotterdam. "And will we have the surrounding municipalities pay for it?", Wijbenga joked referring to US President Trump.
The police found foreigners in a container in the Rotterdam Waalhaven after an emergency call to 112 had been made from that container. © ANPTackling the cooling was the reason for the migrants who were discovered in a container on Friday evening to call 112. That said deputy mayor Bert Wijbenga this morning in a debate in the city council about the interception of the 18 stowaways.
,, This could have ended badly, 'says Wijbenga. The 18 had climbed in Belgium in a container with chocolate and lifted on the back of a truck to the port of Rotterdam. They wanted to go to the United Kingdom. Things went wrong at the Rotterdam Shortsea Terminals (RST) site in Rotterdam's Waalhaven. The cooling engine of the container hit and the migrants called the emergency number. She found them by probing radio masts. "Within two hours after 112 was called."
The two women and sixteen men in their twenties were transferred to the Aliens Police after a hospital check. Two had foil against the cold at the moment they were taken away.
The eighteen say they come from Eritrea. Twelve have been transferred to a reception location in Ter Apel to await further asylum procedure. Four stowaways go to Germany and Switzerland, because they have previously applied for asylum. Two people did not want to apply for asylum and were sent away. That means they are on the street.
The driver who transported the refrigerated container was arrested but released again because, according to the police, the 43-year-old Romanian did not know that he was carrying stowaways.
The barrier is very high in Rotterdam.
The debate was requested by Leefbaar council member Michel van Elck. He has the idea that the number of migrants who want to travel via Rotterdam is increasing. On average, three inland climbers are caught by the Marechaussee and Customs in and around the port of Rotterdam, says Wijbenga. "The barrier is very high in Rotterdam." According to him, there is no increase in the number of migrants in the port. ,, We have no indication for that. But I am very careful with statistics. ''
The deputy mayor promised to come up with exact figures and also to find out where the migrants who had been caught in Rotterdam would go.
PVV'er Maurice Meeuwissen argues for a fence around Rotterdam. That proposal was not taken seriously by Wijbenga. ,, Fine, I am looking forward to your motion. I would suggest that the surrounding municipalities pay for this. '' With that joke he refers to the American president Trump who builds a wall against Mexican migrants and wants Mexico to pay for it.
