Finland to take 11 underage asylum seekers from Greece’s Moria camp

Finland has decided to assist Greece by receiving 11 unaccompanied minor asylum seekers from the Moria camp destroyed by fire.

In the spring, the Finnish Government decided to receive 175 particularly vulnerable asylum seekers from the Mediterranean region. The reception of 11 underage asylum seekers is part of the implementation of this decision, the Ministry of the Interior says.

Greece has transferred more than 400 unaccompanied minor asylum seekers from the island of Lesbos to the mainland. The children who will be transferred to Finland are part of this group.

A woman with her child near the burnt-out refugee camp Moria. Photo: Socrates Baltagiannis/dpa.

“The fire at the Moria camp is a shocking event in already difficult conditions. The Finnish Government decided in February to support the Mediterranean countries. So far, 72 unaccompanied minor asylum seekers have been transferred from Greece to Finland. Our actions have already helped Greece and vulnerable asylum seekers in concrete terms. By receiving these 11 minors, we will continue to provide support and implement the Government’s decision,” says Minister of the Interior Maria Ohisalo.

Germany, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU, has asked the other EU Member States to help with the situation in Greece.

The possible timing of the transfer will be determined later. Upon arrival in Finland, the asylum seekers will spend 14 days in quarantine-like conditions.