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Matters of deepening cooperation between Ukraine and Finland in the field of migration were considered today during a bilateral ministry-level meeting between Vasyl Marmazov, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, and Astrid Tors, Minister for Migration and European Affairs of Finland. Finland’s Ambassador to Ukraine Krister Mikkelsson, was also present at the meeting. Astrid Tors is the first ever minister in the history of Finland to engage in migration matters as such. Establishment of a separate ministry was required by time for Finland urgently needs development of immigration processes. The country is developing new legislation in this field and new forms of cooperation with countries of migration. As a special ministry in Finland was created it became easier to bring migration issues to the general political level, Astrid Tors pointed out. As participants of the meeting underlined, Finland is also interested to receive long-term Ukrainian workers. In the Finnish party’s opinion, it would be reasonable to sign a proper memorandum of cooperation to deepen relations between the two states in migration matters. Minister for Migration and European Affairs of Finland Astrid Tors confirmed willingness to share acquired experience with Ukrainians by having invited a Ukrainian MIA delegation to visit Finland and study details of her ministry’s work, particularly the Migration Department. The parties have agreed that both states’ common interest is to secure that labor conditions offered by Finnish businesspersons to Ukrainian workers meet Finnish laws and that no money be paid to third parties for job placement. Considering that Ukrainians comprise a weighty share of the migration process in Finland, fruitful cooperation in this area is needed.
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