Reading the news about how Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government plans to not comply with the right to seek asylum speaks volumes about Finland’s “R” problem. In many cases, the media, which acts more like a rubber stamp for the government on migration issues, is also part of the problem.
It is sad to see the treatment of the Russian community of Finland starting from President Sauli Niinistö, whose dislike of dual citizenship and asylum seekers is well documented.
Dual citizenship is a right guaranteed by Finnish law but it takes candidates, who should know better, to make incredulous nd demeaning statements that their dual citizenship should be revoked.
As a person who has lived in Finland for many decades, I am ashamed that we have politicians that want to score brownie points with xenophobia.
Of all of the nine presidential candidates, only two, Li Andersson and Jutta Urpilainen, had some reservations about doing away with Finnish-Russian dual citizenship. While Perusssuomalaiset (PS)* candidate Jussi Halla-aho’s xenophobic views are well known, it was the National Coalition Party candidate, Aleksander Stubb, who was ready to revoke dual citizenship retroactively together with Sari Essayah and Harri Harkimo.
Even the favorite, Pekka Haavisto, was willing to do away with dual citizenship rights for Russians in the future. Olli Rehn and Mika Altola were on the same wavelength.
The situation for groups like Russian speakers will get worse in Finland.
