Finland to reject 60 pct of asylum applications

The Finnish government said on Thursday that about 60 percent of the approximately 32,000 asylum seekers who arrived in Finland last year are expected to receive a negative decision.

Paivi Nerg, Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, told Finnish daily Hesingin Sanomat that all the asylum applications will be processed by the end of May at the latest.

"Our estimate shows that the proportion of negative decisions to be made in Finland could be about 60 percent," Nerg was quoted as saying.

The ministry announced its plan earlier to set up one or more repatriation centers for those asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected. The plan has been pushed forward now, according to Nerg.

She said that there will be two kinds of repatriation centers - one for those who receive a negative decision and want to leave Finland voluntarily, the other for those who wish to appeal against the decision.

Nerg said a negative decision can be appealed in Finland. She estimated that the amount of appeals would be quite large.

An asylum seeker who receives a negative decision will also get an appeal period. The ministry is now considering how long the appeal period will be.

She said it is also possible that negative decision receivers will illegally stay in Finland. The Finnish society does not allow a situation, in which people stay here without permission, she emphasized.

Last week, the Finnish Immigration Service said more than 40 percent of the processed asylum applications in 2015 had been rejected. Endit