Finnish PM's offer to migrants: Take my spare house

Source: Associated Press

Finnish PM's offer to migrants: Take my spare house
Jan M. Olsen, Associated Press
Updated 11:54 am, Saturday, September 5, 2015

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Amid Europe's migrant crisis, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila is hoping to set an example for his countrymen by opening his own spare house to refugees.

Sipila said Saturday that after some discussions and consultation with local authorities, he and his wife decided to make their house in Kempele, a town of about 17,000 in central Finland, available as of Jan. 1. The Sipilas have not used the house since moving to Helsinki.

. . .

In recent weeks, the Nordic country has seen an increase in the number of asylum seekers — people fleeing poverty and conflict in eastern European countries and the Middle East — coming to Finland via Sweden. Officials expect their number could reach 30,000 by the end of the year, compared to the 3,600 people who sought asylum in Finland in 2014.

"It is easy to outsource everything to the society. Still, society has limited possibilities. The more citizen activity we can find to this matter, the better," he said. An asylum seeker "deserves a human treatment and genuine welcome greeting from us Finns."





Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Finnish-PM-s-offer-to-migrants-Take-my-spare-6487097.php