Migration Innovation in Norway

In an effort to forge new routes into Europe, hundreds of migrants are bicycling through Russia into Norway as a safer alternative to the deadly Mediterranean crossing. Migrants have adopted bicycles as a preferred form of transportation because Russian border control maintains a strict law that prohibits migrants from crossing the Arctic border on foot. Additionally, under Norwegian law, it is illegal to drive into the country without the proper documents. Many migrants have managed to circumvent these regulations, leading to an increase in the number of asylum seekers in Norway. In all of 2014, only eight individuals crossed the Storskog border station; in October 2015, the number has reached 1,100. Migrants predominantly come from Syria, but others come from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Lebanon.

News of Norway’s welcoming treatment of refugees has spread far and wide on social media and has spurred further migration, many on bicycles built for children. The Norwegian government recognizes the harsh conditions from which the refugees have fled and continues to provide support.

Authorities believe that many more refugees will continue to cross the border by bicycle over the coming months. German Chancellor Angela Merkel noted that the Arctic crossing into Norway demonstrates the refugees’ determination to find a better life and the “most mind-boggling” alternatives they will come up with if governments continue to block traditional paths into southern and central Europe.