The Finnish Immigration Service, Migri, has backtracked on its decision to close the Kyyjärvi reception centre for asylum seekers in central Finland.
The Service says it has taken note of the local residents' strong opposition to closing the centre and their help in employing asylum seekers.
"Kyyjärvi is an exceptional municipality with a positive attitude that sees asylum seekers as a resource," says Pekka Nuutinen, Head of Section for Migri's Reception Unit.
"Because of (their strong support), we decided to respond with a solution that we used on a smaller scale in connection with the closing of the Lappajärvi reception centre earlier this fall," says Nuutinen.
"The locals' active role in volunteer work along with businesses offering employment opportunities means that many asylum seekers have already begun to settle down in Kyyjärvi and become a central part of the small municipality's daily life," says Nuutinen.
Negotiated compromise
The municipality of Kyyjärvi (population 1,400 people) and the Finnish Red Cross negotiated a compromise that allows asylum seekers to continue living in Kyyjärvi even though the reception centre will be discontinued. The Kyyjärvi reception centre residents will move to Saarijärvi reception centre.
About 50 people currently live at the Kyyjärvi centre.
According to Migri, the applications of all of the Kyyjärvi asylum seekers will be processed by the end of June 2017.
