President of the Republic | Niinistö: It is impossible for Finland to return asylum seekers who do not meet the criteria for protection

Republic president Sauli Niinistö said on Monday that Finland “has become impossible to return asylum seekers who do not meet the criteria for protection”. According to Niinistö, this must be taken into account when Finland defines its policy.

This is reported by the Reuters news agency.

Niinistö took a stand on asylum seekers on Monday in Warsaw.

When it has become impossible to deport immigrants who don’t meet the asylum criteria, coming to the border means, according to Niinistö, that the person stays in the country in question if he wants to.

He demanded a European Union-wide solution to prevent uncontrolled entry into the passport-free area.

“It is impossible for each country to try to handle a situation on its own that might break out in a neighboring country right after,” Niinistö said.

Niinistö started on Monday two-day state visit to Poland. The visit is also attended by his spouse, Dr Jenni Haukio.

The visit was hosted by the President of Poland Andrzej Duda together with their spouses Agata Kornhauser-Dudan with.

Niinistö will hold official talks with President Duda at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw on Monday. The bilateral relations between Poland and Finland and regional security issues will be discussed in the discussions.

Niinistö took a stand on border security after Finland closed four border crossing points on its border with Russia at the turn of the week.

The purpose of the closure is to stop the influx of asylum seekers. Prime minister Petteri Orpo (cook) said Thursday at the government press conference, that “it is not an asylum seeker due to an acute emergency, but an organized activity”.

Russia has denied sending refugees to the border. According to Russia, Finland’s decision to close border crossing points indicates Finland’s anti-Russian attitude.

To Finland the majority of asylum seekers who have recently come across the eastern border have come from Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.

Of the asylum seekers who have received a negative decision, it is known that it is especially difficult to get Iraqis to return to their home country. Iraq has refused to accept its citizens who do not return voluntarily. Only those who have committed crimes have been forcibly returned.

Read more: President Niinistö is visiting Poland together with his spouse Haukio

Correction 20.11. at 4:53 p.m.: The remark about asylum seekers who received a negative decision was not a quote from the head of the Asylum Unit, Antti Lehtinen, as it read earlier in the story.