Off the wire
• 1st LD Writethru: U.S. dollar falls against euro despite Greece tensions  • High-level debate on post-2015 development agenda kicks off at UN headquarters  • 2nd LD Writethru: Death toll of migrant crossing to Italy rises to 29  • U.S. calls for DPRK moves on denuclearization for fresh talks  • Italy manager Antonio Conte investigated for match-fixing: media reports  • Turkish Super League result  • Urgent: U.S. stocks retreat amid Greece concerns  • Turkish Super League fixtures  • Sudan, South Sudan end talks without tangible progress  • Chicago agricultural commodities close higher  
You are here: 　 Home

Finland to take 300 more refugees in 2015

Xinhua, February 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

Finland is admitting 300 additional refugees this year. The decision means that Finland would take 1,050 refugees instead of the normal 750, the government said on Monday.

The Finnish government on Monday published a supplementary budget including 1.5 million euros (about 1.7 million U.S. dollars) to assist municipalities in arranging services to the refugees.

The humanitarian situation in Syria is seen as the main reason for the increase. Similar decision was also taken in 2014.

Because of the country's geographical position at the far northern end of the Schengen area, the number of spontaneous refugees trying to enter Finland is small.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) has on several occasions urged Finland to admit more refugees.

Finnish Defence Minister Carl Haglund was quoted by the daily Helsingin Sanomat as describing the volume of the Finnish refugee intake "as a shame".

Decisions on where the refugees within the official quota come from are taken by Finnish officials and UNCHR together. Endit