Grandmothers not giving up in spite of deportation order

New residence permit application “for health reasons”

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Monday’s decisions by the Supreme Administrative Court might not be the last word on whether or not a Russian and an Egyptian grandmother will be allowed to stay in Finland.
      The legal counsel of Russian citizen Irina Antonova, who has been living with her daughter in Helsinki since 2008 on the basis of a visitor’s visa, says that a new application for a temporary residence permit will be submitted, on the basis of health reasons.
      “The situation is sad, but we aren’t giving up”, said lawyer Leo Hertzberg to the Finnish News Agency STT.
     
Hertzberg says that his client’s state of health is such that she would not be able to manage on her own in Russia.
      Antonova, who is more than 80 years old, can sit for no more than an hour and a half at a time.
     
The police are to implement the expulsion order soon, unless the new application gives reason to reassess the situation.
      “It can be that these aspects have been taken into consideration already in this case that was resolved. That will be seen later”, says Juha Holopainen of the foreigners’ unit of the Helsinki police.
     
The previous attempt to remove Antonova from Finland was in February. When the police said that she would have to leave the next day, she and her family took sanctuary at Helsinki’s Meilahti Church.
      “The police were there when she came out. Then we agreed to go to the nearest health clinic, from where she was sent to hospital. She cannot be moved unless reception is organised for her in Russia”, Hertzberg says.
     
In the case of another foreign grandmother, Eveline Fadayel of Egypt, lawyer Eero Lamberg also says that they have not given up.
      “All possible options will be gone through. I am not commenting at this stage what is being considered”, Lamberg noted.
      Fadayel has been living with her sons in Vantaa for almost three years.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Two grandmothers to be deported (9.3.2010
  Court rejects appeal over negative residence permit of Egyptian grandmother (4.9.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat