Last group of refugees relocated from Turkey has arrived in Luxembourg

By Barbara Tasch

On Wednesday October 4, 65 Syrian refugees, 33 adults and 32 children, arrived in Luxembourg.

With this fifth group of refugees arriving from Turkey, Luxembourg has now fulfilled its commitments under the EU-Turkey deal struck in March 2016.

The controversial deal foresaw that for every Syrian refugee who was on a Greek island taken back by Turkey, the EU would relocate another Syrian refugee from Turkey in one of its member state.

In this context, a Luxembourg delegation had gone to Ankara in July to interview refugees pre-selected by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Added to the group of 65 Syrian refugees in Luxembourg were two refugees of Iraqi and Iranian origin who needed protection outside of Turkey.

As with previous arrivals, representatives of the Luxembourg office for integration and direction (OLAI), the health ministry and the ministry for international and European affairs, were present at the airport to welcome the refugees.

The first group of refugees (27) coming to Luxembourg under that accord arrived in May 2016, the second group (25) arrived at the end of September last year, the third group (46) in February 2017 and the fourth group (43) in August this year.

30 Syrian refugees from Lebanon were also relocated in Luxembourg in April this year under a different accord.