Romania registered 265 unaccompanied minors seeking asylum last year, mainly from Iraq and Afghanistan

The number of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in Romania rose almost six times last year compared with 2016, up to 265, Iraq and Afghanistan being the main sources of asylum applicants, Eurostat data show.

According to EU official data, the number of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in Romania increased from 45 in 2016 to 265 in 2017.

Iraq (185), Afghanistan (35) and Syria (25) accounted for 92 percent of all those registered in Romania last year. Out of the total number, 83 percent are men and 29 percent aged below 14.

“In 2017, the highest number of asylum applicants considered to be unaccompanied minors was registered in Italy (with over 10,000 unaccompanied minors, or 32 percent of all those registered in the EU Member States), followed by Germany (9,100, or 29 percent), Greece (2,500, or 8 percent), the United Kingdom (2,200, or 7 percent), Austria (1,400, or 4 percent) as well as Sweden (1,300, or 4 percent) and the Netherlands (1,200, or 4 percent),” Eurostat said.