Finland Times

 

National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen. File Photo Lehtikuva.

National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen estimated that up to half of the asylum seekers who receive a negative decision about their application will refuse to return to their home countries voluntarily, reported Xinhua on Thursday quoting local media.

 

Last week, the Finnish interior minister said about 60 per cent of the approximately 32,000 asylum seekers who arrived in Finland last year were expected to receive a negative decision.

 

Kolehmainen estimated that one-third or even half of those whose applications are rejected could refuse to leave voluntarily.

 

Between February and April, thousands of asylum decisions will be made, according to the country’s immigration service.

 

For those who receive a negative decision, the favourable choice is a voluntary return; another way is to return with a police escort. The worst option would be forced deportation, in the event a person does not want to leave, Kolehmainen told a Finnish language tabloid, Iltalehti.

 

Immigration authority was interviewing asylum applicant. File Photo Lehtikuva.

He said the forced returns would require significant police resources. A single repatriated person needs at least one or two police officers in accordance with international agreements.

 

In the beginning of March, the immigration monitoring duty of the police will be transferred to the immigration service, which will investigate into asylum seekers’ identities and countries of origins. Police resources will then be allocated to the repatriation tasks, said the police chief.

 

Meanwhile, the Finnish Immigration Service is setting up a centre in Vantaa for the asylum seekers who will voluntarily return to their own countries, reported the news agency STT. 

 

The voluntary return centre will have 90-100 places, but the number can be increased if necessary.

 

The centre is primarily intended for Iraqi asylum seekers who have withdrawn their asylum application or have received a negative decision and wish to return quickly to Iraq.

 

The Immigration Service also plans to establish a return centre for the refugees who are refused asylum. It will house rejected asylum seekers waiting to be deported.