67% asylum seekers granted permits in Norway in 2017

A fresh report showed that two in three asylum seekers to Norway, mostly women and children, were permitted to remain in the Nordic country in 2017, public broadcaster NRK reported Monday.

About 67 percent of those who applied for asylum in Norway last year were allowed to stay, according to the status report by the Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers (NOAS).

The status report showed that 60 percent of the approximately 3,300 asylum seekers to Norway last year were women and children and they were mostly from Syria, Eritrea and Turkey.

"Sixty-one percent received protection and around six percent got a residence permit on humanitarian grounds," said Ann-Margitt Austena, secretary general of NOAS.

She said more questions should be asked about what is actually happening with Syrians outside of Europe.

"We know very little about what happens to people who are trying to escape and are being held back from Europe," Austena said.

"It may seem that parliament, government and the others dealing with political discussions are satisfied as long as refugees are kept outside Europe," she said.

According to Austena, closed borders throughout Europe and agreements prevent asylum seekers from searching for protection in countries such as Norway.