Summary:
The government will face challenges this autumn when the EU’s call for assistance to facilitate the refugee situation in Italy will be discussed. Minister of the Interior Paula Risikko and Foreign Minister Timo Soini agree on the fact that all EU countries will have to fulfill their responsibilities in the future. They refer to the 2015 agreement by which the EU countries agree on sharing the burden of Italy and Greece. The agreement has failed in every way. Foreign Minister Soini has already said that Finland cannot commit itself to new internal transfers of asylum seekers within the EU. According to him, all EU countries must first stick to their old promises. Both Soini and Risiko agree that it is most important to influence the roots of immigration.

Media:  Ilta-Sanomat
Date: 19.7.2017
Journalist: Päivi Lakka
Main source: Timo Soini/ foreign minister; Paula Risikko/ interior minister