Denmark will not seize jewelry from Ukrainian refugees: Prime minister

By Atilla Altuntas

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AA) - Denmark will not seize jewelry from Ukrainian refugees unlike Syrians and Africans who sought refuge in the country from 2016 onwards, its prime minister said Friday.

“Ukraine is in our immediate region. It is part of Europe. It's in our backyard,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told public broadcaster PR. “Denmark has a special responsibility in relation to the Ukrainians, who are on the run from Russian missiles and cluster bombs, which now also hit civilian targets.”

DR noted the country adopted a law in 2016, known as jewelry law, that gave authorities the right to seize valuables and large sums of money from refugees. “Clearly, there is a difference between refugees and how we receive them,” it said.

The broadcasting service said the government is working on a special law that would allow Ukrainian refugees to benefit from social subsidies and have their children easily enrolled at schools.

​​​​​​​Russia's war on Ukraine, which began Feb. 24, has drawn international outrage.

The EU, US, UK, among others, implemented tough financial sanctions on Moscow that received condemnation at the UN General Assembly and UN Human Rights Council.

Moscow has been further isolated, with its planes barred from flying in European, US and Canadian airspaces.

According to the UN refugee agency, more than 1.2 million people have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries.

In the second round of peace talks Thursday between Moscow and Kyiv, the two sides agreed to create humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians.