EU country withdraws from refugee quota agreement – reports
Finland has announced that it will maintain its annual quota for refugees from Muslim-majority countries in 2025. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Finland has decided to maintain its plans regarding the intake of asylum seekers from Muslim-majority countries, contrary to earlier reports suggesting a reduction in this quota in favor of refugees from Christian-majority nations, according to local media citing the Interior Ministry.
As part of the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR’s resettlement program, Finland sets an annual quota for accepting refugees. In a press release issued on Thursday, the government announced it would accept 500 asylum seekers next year, specifying that the distribution of countries of origin and refugee groups “is now the same as in 2024.”
The planned intake includes 150 Afghan refugees from Iran, 120 Congolese from Rwanda, 100 Syrians from Türkiye, and 50 Venezuelans from Peru. Additionally, Finland will accommodate 30 refugees transferred from Libya to Rwanda and 50 people of any nationality needing emergency evacuation.
“In the selection of quota refugees, particular emphasis is placed on the most vulnerable groups,” the statement detailed.
As reported by broadcaster Yle, this decision indicates a shift from previous policy. Earlier, Finnish media had conveyed that Interior Minister Mari Rantanen and acting interior minister Lulu Ranne had instructed officials to prepare for an increase in the quota for Christian-majority countries. This prompted Finland’s Non-Discrimination Ombudsman to caution that such an action could be classified as discriminatory on religious grounds.
Rantanen refuted these reports, telling the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat that “it has nothing to do with religion,” framing the focus instead on “vulnerable people, all of whom have the refugee status.”
Since 2000, official statistics indicate that Finland has welcomed between 1,500 and 6,000 asylum seekers annually, with the exception of 2015 when 32,476 arrived amid the refugee crisis. Following that peak, numbers have reportedly stabilized, although the figure rose in 2022 due to the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
In December 2023, the Finnish Interior Ministry introduced a new “voluntary return assistance” program, allowing rejected asylum seekers to receive a significant payment from Helsinki if they agree to return to their countries of origin.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
As part of the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR’s resettlement program, Finland sets an annual quota for accepting refugees. In a press release issued on Thursday, the government announced it would accept 500 asylum seekers next year, specifying that the distribution of countries of origin and refugee groups “is now the same as in 2024.”
The planned intake includes 150 Afghan refugees from Iran, 120 Congolese from Rwanda, 100 Syrians from Türkiye, and 50 Venezuelans from Peru. Additionally, Finland will accommodate 30 refugees transferred from Libya to Rwanda and 50 people of any nationality needing emergency evacuation.
“In the selection of quota refugees, particular emphasis is placed on the most vulnerable groups,” the statement detailed.
As reported by broadcaster Yle, this decision indicates a shift from previous policy. Earlier, Finnish media had conveyed that Interior Minister Mari Rantanen and acting interior minister Lulu Ranne had instructed officials to prepare for an increase in the quota for Christian-majority countries. This prompted Finland’s Non-Discrimination Ombudsman to caution that such an action could be classified as discriminatory on religious grounds.
Rantanen refuted these reports, telling the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat that “it has nothing to do with religion,” framing the focus instead on “vulnerable people, all of whom have the refugee status.”
Since 2000, official statistics indicate that Finland has welcomed between 1,500 and 6,000 asylum seekers annually, with the exception of 2015 when 32,476 arrived amid the refugee crisis. Following that peak, numbers have reportedly stabilized, although the figure rose in 2022 due to the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
In December 2023, the Finnish Interior Ministry introduced a new “voluntary return assistance” program, allowing rejected asylum seekers to receive a significant payment from Helsinki if they agree to return to their countries of origin.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
