Finland Times

 

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja. File Photo – Lehtikuva.

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja on Sunday said the increase in the number of refugees fleeing to Europe across the Mediterranean Sea is not only due to the situation in North Africa, but also because of Sub-Saharan conditions. 

 

According to Tuomioja, the trend had been growing worse for a long time even before last night’s accident.

 

“Last year saw a significant increase in the number of lives lost this same way than in the previous year. This is the latest in a series of disasters which should force us to seek out every possible way to prevent the next one,” Tuomioja told STT.

 

The minister also emphasised that only a part of the migrants are fleeing terrorism and war. Some are driven by a desire for a better standard of living.

 

Tomorrow Tuomioja attends an EU ministerial meeting addressing the Mediterranean refugee situation. The meeting has been called by both foreign and interior ministers of the member states.

 

But Tuomioja said, “I don’t truly believe that hard, concrete decisions will be made just yet.”

 

Immigration and migration are the purview of Minister of the Interior Päivi Räsänen (Christian Democrats), who said in a release that the refugees seeking out a new life in Europe have been victims of a vicious cycle perpetuated by unscrupulous traffickers as well as turbulent conditions in North Africa.

 

“Refugees pay dearly to be put intentionally on poorly maintained vessels, so that they can be narrowly saved from drowning by EU rescue services. The EU’s Mediterranean Action Roadmap has not been successful in overcoming the problem,” said Räsänen.

 

According to Räsänen, the UN’s role alongside the EU must be strengthened in stabilising the North African region.