Norwegian Party Calls for Controls on Swedish Border to Stem Migrant Flows

Norway's party Fremskrittspartiet drafted a resolution envisaging tighter control on the border with Sweden. The party fears a growing influx of migrants, as the residents of Sweden and Norway are allowed to travel between the countries without passport controls.

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) — A resolution demanding passport controls on the Norwegian-Swedish border was drafted during an annual meeting of Norway's Fremskrittspartiet, Vaermlands Folkblad newspaper reported Tuesday.

According to the newspaper, the move is due to the libertarian party's fears that more and more migrants are entering the country via Sweden.

Sweden accepts the largest number of migrants per capita annually in Europe. In 2014 alone, the country accepted 81,300 migrants, with 77 percent of them obtaining citizenship. Fremskrittspartiet fears Sweden's residents of foreign origin will subsequently move to Norway seeking better job opportunities and benefits.

Over the past 60 years, the residents of Norway and Sweden have been able to travel between the two countries without passport controls due to the Nordic Passport Convention, signed in 1957.