Syrian refugees living in Greece protest on Syntagma square on November 19, 2014 in Athens, calling the Greek autorities for immediate asylum status and housing. Greece is one of the key ports of entry into Europe for many thousands of migrants every year. Photo – AFP / Lehtikuva.
Finland will accept 750 refugees from zones hit by armed conflicts or other crisis in 2015, including Syria, Congo and Afghanistan, the Finnish Ministry of Interior announced on Monday.
Finland has planned to shelter 350 refugees from Syria, 150 from Congo, 150 from Afghanistan, in 2015. The country has reserved 100 places in case of emergency, according to the ministry.
Displaced Syrian children stand in muddy water after heavy rains in the Bab Al-Salama camp for people fleeing the violence in Syria on December 11, 2014, on the border with Turkey. Aid workers fear a major humanitarian crisis for millions of Syrian refugees in the Middle East after funding gaps forced the United Nations to cut food assistance for 1.7 million people. Photo – Lehtikuva.
Finland will continue to receive Syrian refugees, due to the prolonged conflict and humanitarian crisis in the country.
The Finnish parliament sets the number of refugees Finland will accept annually based on the state budget. Since 2001, the quota has been 750 per year.
In 2014, a total of 1,050 refugees, of whom 500 were from Syria, have settled in Finland. The Finnish government decided to increase the quota by 300 in response to the Syrian crisis.
