Finland’s Perussuomalaiset (PS)* defense minister, Jussi Niinistö, believes that up to one million “illegal” immigrants could come to Finland from Russia, according to YLE News. Niinistö, a historian who has played down the role of fascist associations like the Lapua Movement (1929-32), fearmongers to shore up support for his ailing party.
Moreover, it’s interesting to note that Niinistö calls asylum seekers “illegal” immigrants. He doesn’t call them asylum seekers never mind undocumented migrants but “illegal” immigrants.
The use of such labels is nothing strange coming from Niinistö, who said recently that that integrating all Muslims into Finnish society is a difficult challenge.
“In practice the potential is limitless,” he was quoted as saying in YLE News. “From hundreds of thousands to a million people, who are ready to move out of Russia. In that sense the situation is worrying. Not just for Finland but for other European countries.”
Read full story here.
Can we believe Niinistö scaremongering in light of his far-right credentials and populist party’s nosedive in the polls?
How can “up to a million illegal immigrants” come to Finland, even to the rest of Europe, from Russia if in 2015 there were 580,238 that arrived in Greece by sea in 2015 during such a record year?
If there is a threat – according to Niinistö – that up to a million people are expected to come to Europe via Russia that means that millions will come via Greece.
The logic and math don’t add up unless your goal is to instill fear and hatred of asylum seekers and migrants.
Read full International Organization for Immigration statement here.
* The Finnish name of the Finns Party is the Perussuomalaiset (PS). The English-language names adopted by the PS, like True Finns or Finns Party, promote in our opinion nativist nationalism and xenophobia. We, therefore, prefer to use the Finnish name of the party on our postings.