Reuters on Friday reported that the European Commission is eager to relocate asylum seekers who have arrived by boat in Greece and Italy across the continent in response to what it considers an emergency situation in both countries.

The European Commission is expected to unveil its proposal on how to relocate roughly 40,000 asylum seekers within the European Union on Wednesday.

Information obtained by STT suggests that 688 of the 40,000 asylum seekers would be re-settled in Finland. Päivi Räsänen (Christian Democrats), the Minister of the Interior, says that her knowledge of the proposal is limited to press reports but added that she was expecting a proposal along these lines.

“My opinion is that we should reject internal transfers and instead develop the quota refugee system,” Räsänen told Helsingin Sanomat.

She is concerned that the relocation of asylum seekers within the European Union could encourage illegal immigration and, as a result, raise the death toll in the Mediterranean.

The chairpersons of the three largest parties in Finland – Juha Sipilä (Centre), Timo Soini (PS) and Alexander Stubb (NCP) – declined to comment on the report on Tuesday. “The issue hasn't been discussed in the coalition negotiations,” Sipilä stated to Helsingin Sanomat.

Piia Elonen, Anna-Sofia Nieminen – HS

Aleksi Teivainen – HT

© HELSINGIN SANOMAT