Minister of the Interior Rantanen met Sweden’s Minister for Migration Malmer Stenergard

Finland’s Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Sweden’s Minister for Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard met in Finland on 20 February. The Ministers visited Finland’s eastern border and received an update on instrumentalised migration at the eastern border. 

“My colleague, Sweden’s Minister for Migration Malmer Stenergard, received today a concrete account of what is happening at Finland’s eastern border. Instrumentalised migration is not about people in distress seeking asylum; instead, it is about Russia using them as a means of coercion. This coercion is an attempt to undermine the security and social stability of Finland and the EU,” says Minister Rantanen.

“Minister Malmer Stenergard and I agree that the European Union must send Russia a clear message that Russia will not succeed in destabilising Finland and the EU,” says Minister Rantanen.

Other topics on the Ministers’ agenda were the reform of the EU migration and asylum policy (migration and asylum pact) and other migration-related issues, such as voluntary and forced returns and cooperation with third countries.

“The Nordic countries have already strengthened their cooperation on return issues. Finland and Sweden are facing similar challenges, and return issues is another question we strive to tackle at the EU level and through Nordic cooperation,” says Minister Rantanen.

Inquiries:
Communications Unit, Ministry of the Interior, [email protected] (requests for interviews with Minister Mari Rantanen)