Sad day for Finnish law, human rights: Andersson
The parliament on Friday passed the controversial amendments to the border law allowing the Finnish border authorities to refuse to accept asylum applications under certain circumstances.
The so-called deportation law enacted with the view to combat instrumentalised entry, was passed by 167 votes to 31 with one abstention.
The bill required a five-sixths majority due to the contentious nature of the legislative changes but all the lawmakers of opposition Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party of Finland), excepting one, who was absent and all the lawmakers of the main opposition Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP), excepting six cast votes in favour of the bill to help the four-party alliance right-wing government to pass it.
SDP MPs Nasima Razmyar, Timo Harakka, Matias Mäkynen, Krista Kiuru, Elisa Gebhard and Johan Kvarnström, all MPs of oppositions Vihreä Liitto (Green League) and Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) and one MP of ruling Suomenruotsalainenkansanpuolue (Swedish People's Party of Finland-RKP) Eva Biaudet cast votes against the bill.
The government said that the amendments are to ensure that Finland has effective means at its disposal to combat instrumentalised migration that is being used to pressure Finland.
Apart from certain exceptions, applications for international protection would not be received in the area subject to the restriction, and instrumentalised migrants would be prevented from entering the country.
A migrant who has already entered the country would be removed from the country without delay and instructed to travel to a place where applications for international protection are being received.
The law is temporary and will be in effect for one year from its enactment.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo expressed his satisfaction over passing of the bill by parliament terming it as the interests of national security.
He pointed out that Russia was using migrants as a tool for hybrid influencing against Finnish national security which prompted the government to find out solutions and the parliament approved the law with a clear majority.
Meanwhile, the outgoing leader of opposition Vasemmistoliito (Left Alliance), Li Andersson criticized the legal amendments terming the day a sad day for the Finnish rule of law and human rights.
“A sad day for the Finnish rule of law and human rights. If the Social Democrats had allowed all their representatives to cast votes according to their conscience and their own values and views, the motion would not have passed," Andersson wrote in a post on her social media platform X.
Earlier on the day, in another post she wrote that the Finnish parliament is about to vote on a law that legalizes pusbacks and violates the principle of non-refoulement.
“The government has openly stated that the law is contrary to EU-law and International Human Rights law,” she added referring to a post of Amnesty EU, which termed the law as green light for violence and pushback.
“Critical vote today (Friday) in Finland on migration. If approved, the emergency law will limit access to asylum to specific parts of the border, granting border guards powers to prevent entry, including by force. A "green light for violence & pushbacks," the Amnesty EU wrote in X.
Earlier, the government on May 21 submitted a proposal to Parliament for an act on temporary measures to combat instrumentalised migration.
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on May 22 criticized the government´s move to enact a new law on deportation.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi