Vanhanen: Finland needs immigration despite present economic problems

Soini: True Finns’ party image affected by “a few outspoken individuals”

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Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) believes that increasingly wary Finnish attitudes toward immigration are the result of the current economic slump.
      According to a Helsingin Sanomat Gallup poll published on Tuesday, opposition to increased immigration has increased by about ten percentage points in the past 18 months.
      “I assume that it is linked with the phase of job cuts and temporary redundancies that is going on. It is an emotional reaction”, Vanhanen said at a seminar in Stockholm on Tuesday.
     
The Prime Minister emphasised that Finland needs immigrants.
      “It is important that all those who bear responsibility will say openly that we will need work-based immigration in the future.”
      Vanhanen said that it is important to view the matter beyond the current temporary crisis.
     
He emphasised that in the coming two decades Finland will not cope without work-based immigration and a lengthening of the time that people remain at work.
     Vanhanen feels that immigrants will be needed in all kinds of professions, from the highest researchers and doctors on down.
      “It needs to be based on the real needs of the labour market. At present, as people are being laid off; we are not getting work-based immigration, because work is not available”, Vanhanen noted.
     
In asylum policy Finland needs to act according to international agreements.
      “Asylum applications are processed. If there are good reasons, the people will be accepted into Finland, and if not, they will be turned away.”
     
The same poll indicated that the True Finns party is perceived as a group whose statements and actions are exceptionally xenophobic. More than a third of respondents felt this way about the True Finns.
      “That can probably be explained by the statements of a few outspoken individuals”, said True Finns’ chairman Timo Soini to Helsingin Sanomat.
      “The image that the True Finns are seen like this comes from somewhere of course - there is no point in blaming the mirror of the face is crooked. However, I sharply deny that I, or the party would be anti-foreigner.”
      “I claim to know where our support comes from, and I stipulate that this [immigration policy] is not a very significant factor in the increase in our popularity.”
     
Soini characterises his party’s views on immigration as “moderately critical”. He emphasises that he is referring to the views of the party, the party leadership, and the Parliamentary group, and not the views of “some local councilman or deputy councilman”.
      Soini expects immigration policy to be a minor theme in the upcoming elections to the European Parliament, and that the economic crisis will be the focus of attention.

More on this subject:
 Halonen and Ahtisaari differ slightly on immigration

Previously in HS International Edition:
  PM Vanhanen hopes immigration issue will not become blunt instrument in Finnish politics (28.10.2008)
  Soini defends True Finns party against accusations of xenophobia (9.10.2008)
  Poll: Rural residents and blue-collar workers most negative toward immigration (17.3.2009)
  Few parties put emphasis on immigration policy (12.1.2009)

Links:
  What does Jussi Halla-aho really want? (30.11.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat