Norway, one of the richest countries in the world, plans to introduce a ban on begging. More than 60 percent of the population say it should be considered a crime. Beggars would face fines and up to 3 months in prison.

If adopted, the new law will allow local municipalities to introduce an immediate ban on begging and will take effect nationally by summer 2015, the Financial Times (FT) reports.

The idea follows a poll showing that two-thirds of Norwegians equate begging to a crime as the majority of beggars are not Norwegians. According to a government-commissioned report from the Nova research institute there are up to 1,000 foreign beggars among the country's 5 million population.

Opposition politicians argue the ban is shameful and unfairly targets the most vulnerable. They also object saying that the measures could spoil the international image of the country, especially following the debates, whether Norway should shelter Syrian refugees.

The [begging] ban is very bad and it sends out a very bad signal. It is not that all beggars are criminals or that the problem is so big. It is more like it seems to be a ban to help us to not meet them, the needy who are sitting on our streets, the FT quotes Kjell Ingolf Ropstad, justice spokesman for the Christian Democrats.