Parliament wants report on benefits for immigrants and asylum seekers
Helsingin Sanomat (Finland), May 14, 2010
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Parliament+wants+report+on+benefits+for+immigrants+and+asylum+seekers/1135256833107
The Finnish Parliament is asking the government for a broad clarification of matters related to family unification. The Parliaments Administrative Committee is interested in how Finnish rules and benefits compare with those in other European Union countries and Nordic Countries.
The committee also wants to know if there is something about the Finnish rules which would make Finland a particularly attractive country for asylum seekers.
The request is seen as a jab at Minister of Migration Astrid Thors (Swed. Peoples Party).
On the administrative committee, there was dissatisfaction with the fact that proposed amendments to legislation affecting foreigners in Finland had been brought to Parliament one at a time.
Members of the committee have also complained that debate over immigration involves confused concepts and conflicting information.
The request for clarification angered Thors. 'The ministry is not a research institute. We do not have these kinds of resources. if someone wants something like this, it can be ordered from elsewhere', Thors says.
The request for information is linked with a bill being debated in Parliament on determining the age of asylum seekers, and rules concerning family unification.
The proposal is to come before the full Parliament soon.
