Up to half of rejected asylum applicants in Finland to refuse voluntary return

Director general of the Finnish police, Seppo Kolehmainen, estimated that up to half of asylum seekers who receive a negative decision about their application will refuse to return to their home countries voluntarily, reported local media on Thursday.

Last week, the Finnish interior minister said that about 60 percent of the approximately 32,000 asylum seekers who arrived in Finland last year were expected to receive a negative decision.

Kolehmainen estimated that one-third or even half of those whose applications are rejected could refuse to leave voluntarily.

Between February and April, thousands of asylum decisions will be made, according to the country's immigration service.

For those who receive a negative decision, the favorable choice is a voluntary return; another way is to return with a police escort. The worst option would be forced deportation, in the event a person does not want to leave, Kolehmainen told the Finnish daily Iltalehti.

He said the forced returns would require significant police resources. A single repatriated person needs at least one or two police officers in accordance with international agreements.

In the beginning of March, the immigration monitoring duty of the police will be transferred to the immigration service, which will investigate asylum seekers' identities and countries of origins. Police resources will then be allocated to the repatriation tasks, said the police chief. Endit