Migration in Europe is a pressing problem, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The war in Ukraine has highlighted the problem and forced European Union countries such as Finland and Lithuania to take swift action. Finland, with its progressive policies and long-standing focus on the effective integration of migrants and refugees, has often advocated for inclusive EU migration reforms and legitimate ways of receiving asylum seekers. Meanwhile, Lithuania, with less experience in managing large migration flows, is still developing its integration strategy to balance security and humanitarian concerns. Finland and Lithuania have faced similar migration challenges in recent years, with refugees of war from Ukraine and hybrid attacks from Belarus and Russia. How have the two countries dealt with these situations and what similarities or differences can be seen in their responses? To answer this question and to get a deeper insights into national issues, we interviewed the Finnish Refugee Council.
Refugees from Ukraine
The events of 24 February 2022 have shocked not only Ukraine and its neighbours, but also the whole Western world. Finland, which has been a strong supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, reacted by opening its borders to Ukrainian refugees. Having learned from the influx of migrants in 2015-2016, Finland’s reaction to the influx of asylum seekers in 2022 was rational and effective. In that year alone, the Finnish reception system managed around 11 000 more arrivals than in 2015-2016. In response to the Russian invasion, the Finnish Ministry of Interior swiftly set up a coordination group to manage migration flows.
The Finns mobilised quickly and responded effectively to the increased migration numbers. A new flexible accommodation model was developed, allowing the State to reimburse municipalities for accommodation and other services for Ukrainians, without the need for official reception centres in each municipality. As a result, the basic needs of Ukrainian refugees, such as accommodation and food, were well managed. In 2022, 85 new reception centres were set up and by the end of the year the total number of reception centres had increased to 112. In addition, efforts to integrate Ukrainian children into Finnish schools were successful. These children received preparatory lessons, including Finnish, before attending regular school classes.
Lithuania has kept pace with its decisions. Despite never having faced such a high level of migration before, the country is effectively managing the reception and integration of Ukrainians. Lithuania is among the four European countries where the employment rate of Ukrainians of working age exceeds 40%, which means that the integration of Ukrainians into the labour market is the highest on the continent. Since the outbreak of the war and the humanitarian crisis, the integration of Ukrainians into the labour market has been a key priority to ensure a quick and smooth adjustment process. When questions arose about the settlement of Ukrainians, many people opened their homes to them. The Lithuanian government supported and compensated property owners who offered accommodation. Despite these efforts, finding suitable accommodation for Ukrainians was sometimes a challenge.
The difficulties faced by Finland and Lithuania in the integration process are very similar. In Finland, the initial challenges were in setting up new reception centres, coordinating accommodation and timely payment of reception support. More complex issues also arose, particularly related to the experiences of war-affected Ukrainians trying to integrate in a new country, including emotional stress and trauma, adjusting to a new environment, language barriers and difficulties in finding employment. The Finnish Refugee Council has also observed cases of exploitation of Ukrainians in the workplace. In addition, many children find it difficult to learn the Finnish language and to adapt at school. Addressing the risk of radicalisation and criminal activities among Ukrainian children and young people is a new visible challenge.
Lithuania faces similar problems. Ukrainians often cite difficulties with access to language courses. While there is a strong desire to learn a language, there is often a lack of resources. Another major challenge is the long wait for help in medical facilities, which Lithuanians also face. Although most Ukrainians are employed, many of them experience financial worries, especially with regard to the temporary compensation they receive upon arrival. Most Ukrainians face the problem of finding employment, which is linked to the search for higher-skilled jobs. In addition, socialisation is a common challenge for Ukrainian refugees, and Lithuania benefits from the fact that a large part of the population speaks Russian, which facilitates the integration of Ukrainians into society. However, as Lithuania has not experienced large migration flows in the past, its support systems, such as language centres and social integration programmes, are still underdeveloped.
Refugees arriving from the eastern border
In the autumn of 2023 there was a marked increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving across the eastern border in Finland, which is attributed to Russia’s hybrid tactics in response to Finland’s NATO membership. Although the number of arrivals has been relatively small, with the number of new arrivals between 1 October and December 17, 2023 only reaching 1131. The Finnish government reacted immediately and with exceptional measures, considering the situation as a serious security threat. In mid-November, Finland closed four border crossing points, and on 30 November Finland closed all land border crossing points with Russia.
In response to this situation, the government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo proposed a new law in May that would allow border guards to prevent asylum seekers from entering Finnish territory and to refuse to register their applications in exceptional cases of instrumentalisation. This proposal, known as the “push-back law”, has caused much debate, especially among human rights defenders and legal experts, as it contradicts the Finnish Constitution and international human rights treaties binding Finland. The Finnish Refugee Council expressed its deep disappointment when the proposal was adopted by Parliament in July. Although the government has not yet implemented the legislation, there are serious concerns about its potential impact on human rights and vulnerable persons.
The situation is very similar to what happened in Lithuania in July 2021, when a large flow of migrants started crossing the Belarusian border. At that time, the Lithuanian Minister of the Interior issued an order instructing border guards to prevent migrants from entering from Belarus. This practice of returning migrants at the border was contrary to the UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the European Convention on Human Rights and other international human rights agreements. The European Court of Human Rights has strongly criticised this decision and ruled it illegal.
Both Finland and Lithuania have demonstrated a rapid and adaptive response to the complex migration challenges posed by the Ukraine crisis, but have adopted a very different approach to migrants coming from Russia and Belarus. Finland’s long-standing experience in the migration field has enabled it to implement effective, if sometimes criticised, integration strategies for Ukrainian refugees, while Lithuania, despite its relative inexperience, has shown a commendable initiative to manage the sudden influx of displaced persons. However, their response to migrants from neighbouring countries in the East has raised serious human rights concerns and attracted criticism. Finland’s proposed push-back law, which is very similar to Lithuania’s practice on its eastern border, shows the need to strike a human rights-respecting balance between national security and humanitarian obligations. These cases underline the ongoing tensions in European migration policy, where the need for strict border controls must be carefully balanced with the imperatives of international human rights obligations. As Finland and Lithuania continue to address these challenges, their experiences offer important insights into the changing migration landscape in Europe.
Photo: Pexels I Mikhail Nilov
List of References
- BNS. Lrt.lt. (2022). Critical Shortage’ of Accommodation for Ukrainian Refugees in
Lithuania – NGO. Internet access: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-inenglish/19/1722320/critical-shortage-of-accommodation-for-ukrainian-refugees-inlithuania-ngo. - Gaučaitė-Znutienė, M., Lrt.lt. (2021). Lithuania Is Walking ‘on Thin Ice’ with Migrant
Pushback Policy. Available via Internet: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-inenglish/19/1462767/lithuania-is-walking-on-thin-ice-with-migrant-pushback-policy. - Ministry of the Interior Finland. (n.d.). Finnish Migration Policy Is Based on
Government Objectives, EU Legislation and International Agreements. Available via
online: https://intermin.fi/en/areas-of-expertise/migration/migration-and-asylumpolicy. - Employment Service (2023). Lithuania among the most successful countries in recruiting Ukrainians
. Lithuania among the most successful countries in recruiting Ukrainians
| Employment Service (uzt.lt) - Tkachuk, A., Kostrykina, S. and Janeliūnas, T. (n. d.). Adaptation and Integration of
Ukrainian Migrants in Lithuania. Available online: https://migrantintegration.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2024-01/v01_Ukrainianreport_Janeliunas_EN_A4.pdf
