The National Bureau of Investigation (Keskusrikospoliisi) and the Finnish Border Guard (Rajavartiolaitos) are investigating "a series of crimes suspected to involve aggravated facilitation of illegal entry and gross abuse of public office". Those crimes, which are related to issuance of Schengen visas are suspected to have been committed in Finland's Embassy of Ankara in Turkey.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed today in a statement of its "full support" and that of the Embassy "to the work of the criminal investigation authorities, the Finnish Border Guard and the National Bureau of Investigation".
According to the press release, the criminal investigation authorities and the Foreign Ministry "have been following activities in the Embassy for a few months already" and "a person has been remanded for trial.
In the case under investigation, "it is suspected that the system has been misused", said the Foreign office.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs monitors issuance of visas and irregularities in the Embassy in Ankara have been detected. The Foreign Ministry refrained from any internal measures in order to ensure that the criminal investigation be not compromised. The suspected visa officials are no longer employed by the Embassy.
In 2017, Finland's Embassy in Ankara received 4,212 visa applications, of which 11.2 per cent were rejected. In 2018, of the 4,014 applications submitted, 23.1 per cent were rejected.
Security clearance
Processing visa applications is based on training and liability for acts in office
Visa officials are recruited by the embassy and recruits undergo a security clearance in Finland. A training course is provided by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry grants visa officials the rights involved in the issuance of visas. Processing visa applications is a system that is based on liability for acts in office.
