The need for refugee receptions has been great since the war in Ukraine broke out. Last spring, the Swedish Migration Agency put out the placement activities for asylum seekers to tender and now the Ostrobothnian Migration Center with units in Oravais and Jakobstad has been chosen as the most advantageous.
This means that the reception centers in Kristinestad and Vaasa will possibly be closed down. According to Heikki Väätämöinen, director of the performance area at Migri, this will not happen as long as the refugee flows from Ukraine continue.
The reception center in Kristinestad has almost 900 clients registered, around 600 at the reception center and also 200 in private accommodation and 85 via the so-called municipal model.
Frida Nylund, operations manager for FRK Ostrobothnia’s Swedish district, hopes that the reception center with its approximately 25 employees will be able to continue with its operations that it has maintained since 2009.
If the reception center is closed, it will not only have consequences for the employees but also for the clients who live in different parts of South Österbotten: Kristinestad, Närpes and Kaskö.
Mila Segervall, city director of Kristinestad, is disappointed that the Red Cross did not win the tender and for the city it would be a great loss if the reception center were to disappear. She notes that it would be a loss both financially and for the overall picture as they are an integral part of their everyday life.
