The main Norwegian news of the last two days – the arrest of a young writer Maria Amelia, who has been living in Norway illegally for several years. A young woman who got in Norway together with her parents being a teenager is going to be expelled from the country. In 2000 Maria's parents moved from Russia (from somewhere in the Caucasus) and attempted to gain refugee status in Finland. When they failed, they illegally crossed into Norway and began trying to stay and live there. At that times Mary was 14-15 years.
Further her life in Norway seems to be absolutely fantastic. While authorities repeatedly refused to grant refugee status to people who illegally entered the country, Maria, with no documents, personal registration number, bank account, managed to finish school and get a bachelor's degree from the University of Trondheim. She began to speak in Norwegian as her native language, wrote a book about the life of illegal immigrants in Norway «Ulovlig Norsk», «Nytid» awarded her the title of “Årets Nordmann 2010”.
Maria Amelie – is a pseudonym
The girl’s real name is Madina Salamova. Now Maria is 25 years old, she lives an active life, engaged in social activities, despite the fact that the police are well aware of the fact that she is still illegal in Norway. How this could happen in a country where everything is under control is unclear. In the end, in October 2010 the Norwegian immigration authorities have agreed with their Russian counterparts, that Maria will be expelled from the country's within 90-days in January 22. Late last night, when Maria left the school building in Lillehammer, police detained her and took her to the receiver for immigrants in Trandum. She was arrested rather harshly, as much as eight police officers came for her. In the unit she was stripped, searched, and treated according to her as a criminal element.
Maria was brought to Oslo, where the court will decide her fate. Her many friends, including her boyfriend Eivind Tradal came to the court.
What's next – nobody knows
Maria claims that she can’t go to Russia – simply because she has nowhere to go, she do not know anybody there and has no relatives. Social and human rights organizations are on her side, they have informed about this incident to the Prime Minister Stoltenberg. The police is insisting on deportation of Maria in two weeks. Human rights activists called the situation absurd – for all to see an example of Iraqi Mullah Kreka, who with his very dubious reputation stays illegally in Norway in the same way, but no one touches him, because, as he says, Iraq is waiting for him for hanging. In contrast, a person who is perfectly integrated into Norwegian society, grew up in it, became part of it, now is treated in such a ruthless manner.
It is difficult to condemn the Norwegian immigration authorities – they do so following the letter of the law. However, looking at the number of semi-criminal elements who by hook or by crook arrived in Norway in recent years from many different countries, we can not unsympathize to this woman – she like no one deserves to live in a country in which she grew. Her fault is that the parents brought her here (where they are now, incidentally, is unknown) and Maria had to survive in a foreign country. This is her country, which can and should be generous in such cases.
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