Nordic countries are coordinating their policy concerning Russian citizens escaping military service and are waiting for guidance from the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA).
Around 1,109 Russian citizens have fled to Finland when trying to avoid military service, based on statistics from the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri). But, due to the slow pace of the EU’s decision making, they are currently in limbo. Now the Nordic countries have coordinated their actions and put the issue on hold.
”We will adopt the EUAA guidelines concerning Russia as the basis of our decision-making since movement within the European Union will increase further still in case national alignments vary considerably,” Finland’s Interior Ministry’s immigration Director Sanna Sutter told STT.
According to her, Finland has already conducted many asylum interviews. Based on them, decisions about applications can be made on quick notice once the EUAA guidelines are provided and implemented.
”Our duty is to make decisions as correctly as possible and find out whether an individual is in danger of being persecuted in his or her homeland,” said Sutter to STT.
The guidelines of the EU Agency for Asylum have been long in the making, and they have been expected to be ready during the spring.
(Pekka Vänttinen | EURACTIV.com)
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