Migri’s takeover of reception services is not looking too good, says Rantanen

MINISTER Interiors Mari Rantanen (PS) expressed her concern about the news about the reception center contracts concluded by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri).

On Monday, YLE revealed that Migri had spent €900 million on reception services without going through a tender process, which appears to be in breach of the authorities’ statutory requirement to call for tenders for all social and health care services worth more than €400,000.

In 2022 and 2023 alone, the value of unbidden reception centre contracts amounted to €670 million, according to a report by a team of investigative journalists from the public broadcaster, MOT. The costs arise not only from accommodation, but also from the reception allowance, health and language services provided to refugees and asylum seekers.

“It doesn’t look too good,” Rantanen replied to YLE on Tuesday.

Rantanen added that she sees the need to quickly establish reception centers within two years to house Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion. However, Migri should have reconsidered its approach.

Experts interviewed by the public broadcaster estimated that the authorities may sign public takeovers without a tender only for short periods, when external factors do not give them time to organize such a process.

In February, Migri announced that it had started inviting tenders for the provision of reception services. It omitted the information that a large proportion of reception services had not been put to tender over the past three years and that some contracts were still in force, as the investigation report highlights.

“It’s a matter of using taxpayers’ money and in this case we need to be particularly careful,” Rantanen recalled.

She added that she intended to request a more detailed breakdown of the acquisitions from Migri. Whether further measures are required will be determined by the bill.

YLE also wrote on Tuesday that the authorities paid reception center operators a bonus of 5-8%. over their budgets for administrative costs, effectively ensuring that operators’ profits grow in line with their administrative costs. This practice is not conducive to economical operation of reception centers.

“That doesn’t sound very encouraging. I am sure that the same report will explain to us on what basis this was determined,” Rantanen said.

Aleksi Teivainen – HT