In recent months, Finland has seen a dramatic rise in the number asylum seekers.
Helsinki:
Finland has tightened its criteria for granting asylum to Iraqi migrants, the country's immigration authority said Tuesday, after deeming Iraq safer than before.
"The security situation in many areas in Iraq has eased, which influences the decision-making in asylum matters at the Finnish Immigration Service," the agency wrote in a statement.
In recent months the Nordic country has seen a dramatic rise in the number asylum seekers, nearly 70 percent of whom came from Iraq.
Up until recently Finland granted Iraqi applicants asylum on the basis of their area of origin, considering the central areas such as the country's capital Baghdad unsafe.
"The security situation has eased especially in the Babylon Province and the City of Kirkuk. The security situation in Baghdad is still problematic, but all people who come from Baghdad cannot be considered to run a personal risk of falling victim to violence," it said.
From now on the main criterion will be the individual situation. "A person cannot be granted asylum only because he or she comes from a particular area," the agency underlined.
The decision is a blow to the hopes of a group of Iraqi migrants in Finland who appealed a week ago to the Finnish government. "Iraq is not safe ... The Iraqi government does not represent us nor protect us," they wrote in a statement.
The interior ministry estimates Finland will receive between 30,000 and 35,000 asylum applications this year, nearly 10 times the figure in previous years.
As a part of the European Union's refugee distribution plan, Finland is to receive its first 50 migrants of Eritrean origin, who are expected to be flown into the country from Italy on Wednesday.
"The security situation in many areas in Iraq has eased, which influences the decision-making in asylum matters at the Finnish Immigration Service," the agency wrote in a statement.
In recent months the Nordic country has seen a dramatic rise in the number asylum seekers, nearly 70 percent of whom came from Iraq.
Up until recently Finland granted Iraqi applicants asylum on the basis of their area of origin, considering the central areas such as the country's capital Baghdad unsafe.
"The security situation has eased especially in the Babylon Province and the City of Kirkuk. The security situation in Baghdad is still problematic, but all people who come from Baghdad cannot be considered to run a personal risk of falling victim to violence," it said.
From now on the main criterion will be the individual situation. "A person cannot be granted asylum only because he or she comes from a particular area," the agency underlined.
The decision is a blow to the hopes of a group of Iraqi migrants in Finland who appealed a week ago to the Finnish government. "Iraq is not safe ... The Iraqi government does not represent us nor protect us," they wrote in a statement.
The interior ministry estimates Finland will receive between 30,000 and 35,000 asylum applications this year, nearly 10 times the figure in previous years.
As a part of the European Union's refugee distribution plan, Finland is to receive its first 50 migrants of Eritrean origin, who are expected to be flown into the country from Italy on Wednesday.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
