The island archipelago has resisted an inundation like the mainland, I personally hope it continues, but the hypocrisy is amazing.
Åland election focuses on migration as asylum applicants sent on to mainland
The autonomous province of Åland is struggling to deal with thorny issues of immigration ahead of provincial elections due on Sunday. The province has historically been one of the most international parts of Finland, but some anti-immigrant sentiment is visible ahead of the polls. Some 20 migrants recently arrived in Åland by accident after disembarking prematurely from a ferry – but they were quickly sent on to reception centres on the mainland.
The autonomous province of Åland will hold a general election on October 18. Immigration has been a central topic in the campaign.
“This has become an important question in light of the coming elections,” says democratic candidate Nils Manelius.
On Wednesday two large papers featured a plea from 50 business figures saying that Åland needs more immigrants to fill its work demand. Even the most immigration-critical Åland Democrats say the islands need work-based immigration to cope.
“Åland is paying the UN’s refugee organisation a million euros. If all of Europe gave a similar amount, 13 million refugees could be aided,” says another candidate, Bert Häggblom.
Minister of the Office of the President Wille Valve underlines the island’s multicultural nature.
“We have about 60 languages here and around 90 nationalities. Thai and Romanian are spoken here by many, as well as Latvian, Estonian and Russian,” he lists.
Accidental arrivals
The province has seen some accidental migrant arrivals in recent weeks. Asylum-seekers have landed on the island after coming ashore from their ship while it docked there before continuing to the mainland. Valve in Mariehamn calls the situation a technical problem.
“The Immigration Service simply doesn’t operate in Åland, meaning that nobody can register as an asylum-seeker here,” he says. “The twenty-odd migrants who have come here were on their way to Turku but got off early.”
The migrants have signed in with the Mariehamn police, spent the night and then continued on to the Turku reception centre, the nearest to the island. Valve says he is not able to say how the travelers were able to board the ship in the first place, as passengers undergo an identity check in Stockholm before boarding.
There are no reception centres in Åland, but Valve says there is no legal reason why one should not be established there.
In November twenty quota refugees will arrive in the province. Mariehamn has a long-term commitment to take in at least 10-15 quota refugees every three years. The municipality of Jomala also receives refugees, and other municipalities are in talks over whether they will take some on or not.
