"The change in the Ebo Act is a half-heartedness"

Ebo, the Act on Private Accommodation, was introduced in 1994 and gives asylum seekers the right to arrange their own accommodation instead of living on refugee accommodation.

The criticism of the law has been great and in the January agreement it was decided that from 2020, 32 municipalities will be allowed to make exceptions and point out particularly vulnerable areas where asylum seekers may not live if they wish to retain their compensation.

But the municipal council in Kristianstad, Pierre Månsson, does not think the change is sufficient.

- This legislation is a half-measure that should have gone even further, he says in SVT Aktuellt.

He believes that even though the problems are greater in the particularly vulnerable areas, it affects Kristianstad.

- Our entire municipality is extremely financially strained because of the refugee reception that has been, says Pierre Månsson.

Boel Godner (S) municipal council in Södertälje has long wanted to abolish the ebo-law completely, but she will not do as Kristianstad.

- We do not see the whole of Södertälje as a socially vulnerable area. The Ebo Act and poor reception of refugees have built up the vulnerable areas where gang crime has grown and where children do not get the same start as others. Let's focus on that now. That is the most important thing we can do for Sweden's future right now, ”she says.

She understands that other municipalities like Malmö and Kristianstad intend to act differently.

- They have rich municipalities around them that do everything to avoid receiving any refugees and if they have to, they try to send them to other municipalities as quickly as possible.