Media reports Finland reverses refugee quota decision

2024-12-02 06:33:31

(MENAFN) Finland has reversed its decision to prioritize refugees from Christian-majority countries over those from Muslim-majority nations, local media reported, citing the Interior Ministry. As part of the UN Refugee Agency's resettlement program, the country will take in 500 asylum seekers next year, maintaining the same distribution of countries and refugee groups as in 2024. The quota includes refugees from Afghanistan, Congo, Syria, Venezuela, Libya, and those requiring emergency evacuation.

This policy shift follows earlier reports that the government, led by Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, had planned to increase the quota for Christian-majority nations, raising concerns of religious discrimination. The Ministry clarified that the focus was on vulnerable groups, not religion. Since 2000, Finland has accepted between 1,500 and 6,000 asylum seekers annually, with a spike in 2015 during the refugee crisis.

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