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Migrants: 'freedom bike', from Russia to Norway

New route for refugees, after plane trip from Beirut to Murmansk

25 September, 19:38

(ANSA) - MOSCOW - Entering Norway after crossing the border with Arctic Russia by bike: this is one of the new routes of Syrian refugees, according to some stories collected in a report by Novaya Gazeta, Anna Politkovskaya's newspaper.

They leave Beirut by plane and land in Murmansk, paying 10,000 up to 40,000 roubles (140-550 euros) in order to take a taxi to reach the city where they buy a second-hand bike, and then they head to Nikel, a town which is 200 km far from Murmansk and 7 km far from the border with Norway.

They cycle the last kilometres, in order to comply with Russian law, which does not allow you to cross the border on foot.

Previously the local taxi drivers used to take them across the border, but now they wouldn't do it because the Norwegian police fine them heavily (up to 700 euros) accusing them of trafficking refugees. The journey from Beirut may cost up to 1,500 euros.

Last year this route was chosen only by a few dozen refugees, but they were at least 400 this year.

''We found it out watching Russian television in Damascus, in the next two to three months there will be a really big flow'', a young Syrian told Novaya Gazeta. (ANSA).

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