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Finland:New Aliens Act proposed

01 January 1991

Finland:New Aliens Act proposed
artdoc April=1993

The Finnish government has introduced a new Bill to tighten up
on the 1991 Aliens Act, but the Stockholm representative of UNHCR
has warned a parliamentary committee on foreign affairs against
proposals to expel refugees from `safe countries'. The expulsions
would be administered by passport police at the border. `Nobody
should be turned back at the border before making an asylum
application', said Mr George Gordon-Lennox, who added, `Finland
should not be the first European country to make such a law.'
Apparently, the Office for Aliens Affairs plans two lists of
so-called `safe countries'. One list would be approved by the
European Council, but a second list would be compiled by the
Finnish government itself and countries could be taken on and off
the list as deemed fit. (Helsingin Sanomat 20.2.93).
Meanwhile, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that
asylum-seekers coming to Finland through Russia can be sent back,
as Russia, now considered a safe country of asylum, has signed
the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees (Helsingin Sanomat
11.2.93).

Refugees EC Europe

IRR European Race Audit no 3, 1993.
Contact: Liz Fekete, Institute of Race Relations,
2-6 Leeke Street, London WC1X 9HS. Tel: ++ 071 837 0041