ADVERTS AGAINST REFUGEES

One of the ways in which Australia tries to discourage refugees is to produce adverts, which tell people in no uncertain terms that if they do turn up in Australian waters without the proper papers, then they won't be allowed to land, but will instead be taken to one of their offshore processing centres on Nairu or Papua New Guinea. The not so subtle message to people smugglers and migrants themselves is "you won't succeed, so don't bother trying".

The new Danish Government would like to try a variant of this. It is convinced that people come to Denmark (as opposed to another E.U. country) because of its extensive welfare state; and has even found a website comparing welfare benefits in the different E.U. countries as "proof" that this is true. The fact that professionals in this area cast doubt on that statement is dismissed as rubbish. Integration Minister Inge Støjbjerg now plans to take out announcements in foreign newspapers, highlighting the recent tightening in the asylum and refugee laws, which were passed just before the summer holidays. After reading these, potential asylum seekers will go elsewhere.

This may go down well with certain sections of the Danish electorate. But I doubt that it will have an effect. And in the long run, it will harm Denmark's image abroad.

Walter Blotscher