The number of asylum seekers arriving at Denmark’s borders has increased considerably, with almost as many already having arrived in Denmark this year as in all of last year.

According to the Police National Immigration Centre, 3,108 asylum seekers have arrived in Denmark this year compared to 3,936 in all of 2011.

“In other words there has been a major increase and if it continues at the same pace as in previous months we expect the total for this year to be around 6,000 asylum seekers,” says Ch. Supt. Steen Norup Andersen who processes asylum applications at the Sandholm asylum centre.

Somali asylum seekers top the list, with their numbers having increased five-fold following a decision by Denmark to follow a judgment from the European Court of Human Rights on the issue of Somali asylum seekers.

Syria’s civil war has also made its mark on the statistics. Some 480 Syrians have sought asylum in Denmark this year so far, compared with 463 in all of 2011.

Opposition parties are blaming the government for the increase, saying that the current centre-right government is to blame for having relaxed the rules.

“There is no doubt that we will experience a lot of pressure because it will impossible to integrate all the people who come here. Many will not be given asylum because they do not fulfil the requirements. But when you create these sort of conditions, Denmark becomes a magnet,” says Liberal Integration Spokeswoman Inger Støjberg.

The government rejects the criticism and says that Denmark has not relaxed its policy.

“We have not changed anything. This is just an expression of fluctuations and the other countries around us have experienced the same thing. So there is nothing special about Denmark,” says Parliamentary Integration Committee Chairman Trine Bramsen of the Social Democratic Party.

The Immigration Service says that Denmark now has 5,200 asylum seekers – the highest number in 10 years. Four new asylum centres have been opened this year, bringing the total number of asylum centres to 23.

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