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Home NATIONALMilitary to be deployed at Tornio border
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Tue, 22 Sep, 2015 12:04:17 AM
Police to check refugee influx from Sweden from today
FTimes – STT Report, Sep 22
 
The first Finnish center for asylum seekers arrangement was introduced at a press conference at Tornio on Monday. The centre begins operation from Tuesday. Photo Lehtikuva.
The Defence Forces will deploy a contingent of soldiers at the asylum registration centre in Tornio from Tuesday to assist the police in handling the intake of asylum seekers as well as providing security and protection for the area and guidance for the refugees.
 
The defence team will consist of about 30 people, most of whom are conscripted soldiers.
 
“The team should start operations as early as tomorrow [Tuesday], and they have been previously familiarised with the activities,” Police Director Tomi Vuori told the news agency STT on Monday.
 
The National Police Board has requested the Defence Forces for assistance for a period of one week. According to Vuori, the Defence Forces’ assistance is needed because the police do not have the resources to handle the large-scale logistics required.
 
Police officials described the controling system at a press conference on Monday. Photo Lehtikuva.
At the moment, it is not known whether the Defence Forces’ help will be needed in other parts of Finland, but the development of the situation will be monitored and dealt will accordingly.
 
The uniformed reinforcements also include a number of professional soldiers. 
 
However, Vuori emphasised that this is a police-led operation, and the military is working under the management and supervision of the police. 
 
The police are responsible for organising the area and safe passage of the refugees.
 
The police will check people crossing the border at Tornio using the means provided for under the Alien’s Act, said an official press release. 
 
Earlier, from Saturday to Tuesday, the persons applying for asylum were directed to emergency shelters in Tornio. 
 
Iraqi refugees arrived through Tornio border. File Photo Lehtikuva.
After Tuesday, asylum seekers will be directed from the border to centres for initial reception. 
 
They can no more continue to other parts of Finland from Tornio without having registered as asylum seekers.
 
The anticipated backlog of asylum seekers in Tornio on Friday remained smaller than expected. 
 
Instead of the nearly one thousand asylum seekers expected, only about 500 people arrived in the country, the press release added.
 
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