Finland Times

The ministerial working group on migration discussed the return of asylum seekers to Afghanistan and instructed the officials to negotiate the conclusion of a readmission protocol with Afghanistan in May.

The Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of the Interior, Päivi Nerg, will travel to Afghanistan in May to discuss the protocol with the competent local authorities.

A draft protocol was submitted to the Afghan authorities early this year. The protocol concerns both the voluntary return of Afghan asylum seekers and the return of those whose asylum application has been refused.

In 2015, Afghans lodged the second highest number of asylum applications in Finland (5,214) after Iraqis.

This year, they have been the largest nationality (522 applications by 19 April), the press release added.