This is still not a reason to delay deportations, the fact that the country is still in a state of violence does not fill international law requirements for guaranteeing the safety of asylum/refugee applicants.
Following Ruohomäki’s logic, millions of Afghans reaching the Finnish border claiming asylum/refugee status would not only be allowed in but allowed to remain in the country as well. Enough with this foolishness, these are men of fighting age, place them into fighting units and send them back to their country to fight the Taliban.
Time-out for Afghan deportations?
In a break with official government policy, Olli Ruohomäki, an outspoken Afghanistan expert with the Finnish Foreign Ministry, tells Swedish-language daily Hufvudstadsbladet that deportations to war-torn Afghanistan should cease due to the deteriorating security situation, which is worsening ahead of general elections slated for October.
The Taliban control some 70 percent of Afghanistan, says Ruohomäki, who travels there frequently.
Last month, Iraq said it would no longer accept rejected asylum seekers who do not willingly want to return. Yle reported that deportees returned from Finland to Iraq have been turned around and sent back to Helsinki.
