Swiss authorities receive 146 asylum seeking applications from Lanka

The Swiss authorities received 146 applications from asylum seekers from Sri Lanka within the month of March, according to figures from Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). The Swiss authorities have received 8,315 asylum seekers' requests in the first three months of 2016.

However, the number of asylum applications filed with the Swiss Government in the first quarter of 2016 has dropped by 45 percent compared to the last quarter of 2015.

The overall number of applications continues to decline as 1,992 asylum applications were filed in March, 25 percent less than in February, according to a report in Sputniknews.com. The majority of the March asylum applications, 227, came from those who fled Eritrea, while Afghan nationals followed with 166 requests.

The Swiss authorities also received 146 applications from asylum seekers from Lanka, 143 requests from Gambians, 143 from Iraqis and 141 from Syrians. The SEM stressed that despite the significant decrease in the quantity of requests, the migration issue was unpredictable and the situation might change at any time.(ANI)