Finnish MP criticizes PM's offer to house refugees

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila's offer to accommodate refugees with his second home has been criticized by a Member of Parliament, who warned that it might encourage more "criminal" actions.

Olli Immonen, a Finns Party MP but staying away from his party's parliamentary caucus, said in a social media posting late Sunday the PM's decision to attract "asylum seekers and welfare immigrants" to the hands of criminals who arrange smuggling of people.

He described the announcement by the premier as "irresponsible" and said more people will be drowned in the Mediterranean.

Outright public criticism of Sipila's housing offer has been almost nonexistent in Finland, except that some of the residents in the immediate neighborhood told the media when the news broke that they wished the quality of the area would not be affected.

They also hoped the premier's house would be used for "housing families and not young men".

The Premier's second home is a large private house, supposed to accommodate some 20 refugees when ready at the end of this year.

The house is located in Kempele, near the major city of Oulu in northern Finland, and the neighborhood belongs to MP Immonen's constituency.

As the Parliament convenes on Tuesday after the summer recess, Immonen is listed as a one-man parliamentary group. His social media comments against multiculturalism caused a major outcry and demonstrations in Finland some weeks ago. Endi