Great Britain launches a fierce offensive against Sweden
Sweden has expelled 1,100 British citizens since Britain left the EU.
That’s more than any other country in the Union, according to The Guardian, with new figures from the European Commission
Among others, 74-year-old Kathleen Poole, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, has been told she will have to leave Sweden after Brexit because she does not have the right residence papers.
“Warning”
A total of 2,610 British citizens will be forced to leave EU countries after leaving the Union in 2020.
Sweden has deported 1,100 Britons since Brexit, more than any other country in the EU.
David Milstead, a British physics professor living in Sweden, calls these numbers “alarming.”
According to David Milstead, 74-year-old Kathleen Poole was forced to leave.
– They need to explain why Sweden has issued around 50 per cent of all deportation orders in the Schengen area to Britons in 2021-22, and why Sweden rejected more residence applications than any other EU country, he tells The Guardian.
Anger at Sweden is also heard from the political side.
Labor politician Hilary Benn says the decision to sack Kathleen Poole is a “deep shock”.
Alleged breach of contract
Jane Golding, a British EU lawyer, believes that Sweden is violating the Withdrawal Agreement drawn up between Great Britain and the EU after Brexit.
According to the Withdrawal Agreement, all British citizens who legally lived in an EU country before Brexit have the right to stay for the rest of their lives.
Sweden responds
The Swedish Migration Agency has responded to this criticism.
The authority explains the high figure by Sweden following directives drawn up after Brexit.
After withdrawal, British citizens in EU countries had to apply for residence status to stay in the countries.
– The most common reasons for rejecting applications are incomplete applications, late applications, applications without reasonable grounds and applicants who do not meet the requirements for residence status, highlights the Swedish Migration Agency in a comment to The Guardian.
However, David Milstead doesn’t buy the explanation.
– Sweden’s outreach program for British citizens is very weak. Around 900 late applications have been received. He tells the newspaper that it is not too late to help them.
Photo: A. Marinkovic
Text: Compilers
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