Fri, 25 Sep, 2015 12:09:07 AM FTimes – STT Report, Sep 25 Prime Minister Juha Sipilä during the question time in parliament on Thursday. Photo – Str / Lehtikuva. Prime Minister Juha Sipilä ran into opposition from parliament regarding Finland's abstention during the European Union's vote on refugee transfers, and the effect it could have on Finland's reputation.
According to Sipilä, Finland's position has always been that asylum seekers must be transferred voluntarily, and the abstention met only with understanding from Sipilä's colleagues within the EU.
"I did not encounter the slightest problem in the EU leadership meeting regarding Finland's position," he stated.
According to Sipilä, the fact that the Schengen system is not working at the moment was discussed at the meeting, as well as the accusation that every country is in breach of the agreements.
"A lot of unregistered people are moving around, and we are receiving them here at the far end of the line. This is not working as it should be, agreed all the others," said the Prime Minister.
Sipilä said that if the division of responsibilities within the EU was made right now on the basis of this year's estimates, then asylum seekers who are coming to Finland would be transferred to other countries.
"But we certainly must now get our borders under control and back to the Schengen principles, and everything put back in order. These decisions were made on Wednesday at the meeting, and they are fully in accordance with the Finnish position," he added.
Lawmaker Antti Kaikkonen suggested that Finland could remunerate those who take in families of asylum seekers. In his opinion, for example, ten euros a night would be an appropriate amount.
According to Sipilä, this could be part of the integration of the overall solution at some point. More News
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