Finland Prepares To Resume Asylum Seeker Transfers To Italy

LONDON,  Aug 21 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Finland is preparing to resume transferring asylum seekers to Italy, becoming the fourth country to take such action after Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. 

The Finnish Interior Ministry's press office told Italian news agency ANSA on Thursday that the move follows the entry into force of the EU's Asylum and Migration Regulation (AMMR).

The AMMR is an EU law that allows northern European countries to send asylum seekers back to the first European country they entered.

"We believe that the entry into force of the EU Regulation on Asylum and Migration Management will allow for the resumption of transfers to Italy. These transfers are currently being prepared."

The ministry said Finland considers it important that EU rules governing responsibility for examining asylum applications are applied as intended.

"For Finland, which becomes the fourth country to send Dubliners (asylum seekers) back to Italy after Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, "it is important that the rules on responsibility for examining asylum applications are applied as intended, and that all EU member states fulfil their obligations under the pact."

The ministry stressed Finland's commitment to implementing the procedures governing responsibility for asylum applications.

"For our part," it continued, "we remain committed to ensuring the effective implementation of accountability procedures."

Meanwhile, Sweden has transferred migrants to Italy and intends to continue doing so, according to Victoria Holmqvist, spokesperson for Migration Minister Johan Forssell.

"It is important that our collaboration works well so that migration to Europe is well managed and controlled," Holmqvist told ANSA.

"From the Swedish point of view," he added, "this is not new, but since the European pact came into force, transfers under the Dublin regulation work better."

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU