Baltic and Nordic Region

Baltic and Nordic Headlines

A summary of asylum and refugee-related stories in regional media.

Thursday 2 September to Friday 3 September 2010

Finland

Municipalities unwilling to receive refugees
Municipalities are reluctant to open their doors to asylum-seekers and refugees. Around 200 refugees, mostly living in refugee camps, are waiting to move to Finland. Although they have their paperwork in order, they need a municipality to take them in. In addition, about 400 refugees who have been granted asylum in Finland are still living at refugee reception centers because no municipality has offered them a place to stay. In total, Finland needs to find accommodations for 2,200 refugees and asylum-seekers. Last year, Finland aimed to find 2,000 homes for refugees, but only 1,450 were secured. Finland has committed to taking in 750 refugees annually. According to UNHCR, this includes 100 persons in need of immediate assistance.
YLE 2 September 2010 (in English)
YLE 2 September 2010 (in Finnish)

Norway

Most rejected asylum-seekers forcibly returned
So far this year, 3967 asylum-seekers have been sent home from Norway. Of these, 75% were returned against their will. Minister for Justice and the Police Jens Storberget sees this as proof that the Norwegian asylum policy is working. According to Storberget, it is important to give a realistic picture of who may or may not stay in Norway and that more returnees mean that fewer persons will come to the country in the first place.
Aftenposten 1 September 2010 (in Norwegian)
Verdens Gang 1 September 2010 (in Norwegian)

Report criticises lax security procedures at Lier return centre
A report by the Labour Inspection Authority criticises the way security issues were dealt with at the Lier centre for rejected asylum-seekers waiting to be deported, before it was burnt to the ground by its residents. Lack of internal procedures and routines for following up violence are cited as a problem. The management claims that any problems have been rectified. The centre is to be closed on 1 November.
Aftenposten 2 September 2010 (in Norwegian)

Sweden

Police recommendations on Roma deportations
Sweden has been criticised for its expulsion of some 50 Roma migrants this year. The Swedish police have defended the deportations, claiming that the Roma were begging, and referring to the Aliens’ Act, which states that a person who does not earn a living by lawful means can be expelled from the country. Different police authorities in Sweden interpreted the legislation differently and recent recommendations from the National Criminal Police (NCP), state that a person can be expelled if suspected of organised begging.
Dagens Nyheter 3 September 2010 p: 17 (in Swedish)

Sweden Democrats propose stricter immigration – and 1 billion to UNHCR
The Sweden Democrats (SD) proposes a stricter immigration policy in the party election programme, presented today. One suggestion is that burkhas should be banned in public places. A few hundred women are estimated to wear burkhas in Sweden. SD sticks to its earlier proposals of tightened immigration. SD also proposes that one billion Swedish kronor should be donated to UNHCR, to help refugees - in the region close to their countries of origin. According to Jan Ekberg, professor in gross economics, SD’s suggested immigration policy is based on faulty assumptions on how much financial resources can be saved though diminishing immigration.
Dagens Nyheter 2 September 2010 (in Swedish)
Svenska Dagbladet 2 September 2010 (in Swedish)

UNHCR bears no responsibility for the accuracy and content of the press summary, which is based on external news services and does not reflect the views of UNHCR.

External Relations Unit
UNHCR Regional Office for the Baltic and Nordic Countries, Stockholm
swesteru (@)unhcr.org
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