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Finland to reject two thirds asylum applications

Xinhua, November 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Finnish Ministry of Interior on Wednesday said Finland would reject nearly two thirds of asylum applications, local media reported.

Around 60-65 percent of asylum applicants will receive negative decisions, estimated Paivi Nerg, permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry, in an interview with the Finnish national broadcaster Yle.

Nerg said that the estimation was based on the number of asylum seekers arriving in Finland in the last three to four months.

Although the processing of applications has been speed up with additional workforce, all applications are due to be processed in six months.

According to the ministry, the number of asylum seekers coming to Finland is on the rise again recently. Following a temporary reduction in October, 776 asylum seekers were registered over the last weekend. Most of them came from Afghanistan.

The latest statistics made by the Finnish Immigration Service shows that 27,000 asylum seekers have arrived in Finland so far this year. The Ministry of Interior said Finland received the fourth-largest number of asylum seekers in Europe, in relation to its population.

Nerg said Finland urgently needed 10,000 more accommodation berths for new arrivals.

The ministry admitted Finland does not have enough qualified NGOs and companies to maintain reception centers. Endit