STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats said on Thursday they would launch an advertising campaign in foreign media to discourage asylum-seekers from heading to the Nordic country, where record numbers have sought shelter this year.
The country's third-largest party after an election in 2014 said it would advertise in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey where thousands of refugees are living in camps.
The party may also buy space in newspapers and on TV in countries like Germany and Denmark, transit countries for some migrants coming to Sweden.
"It won't be a better future in Sweden," said Paula Bieler, the Sweden Democrats' immigration spokeswoman.
"We have tented camps here. It's cold, chilly and snowy in Sweden. There is a shortage of resources both for our own population and for those who come here."
The party says it wants to slash the numbers by at least 90 percent.
Sweden expects more than 150,000 to arrive this year and other Nordic countries are also seeing record numbers, sparking a fierce debate about how to cope.
Denmark has taken out adverts in Lebanese newspapers highlighting recent benefit cuts and aiming to put off potential migrants.
The Sweden Democrats said they would push for a national referendum on immigration and wanted tighter border controls.
Sweden's minority center-left government and the Alliance opposition bloc have ruled out any cooperation with the Sweden Democrats, who hold the balance of power in parliament.
(Reporting by Johan Sennero and Johan Ahlander; editing by Andrew Roche)