Granting asylum is not political decision - Estonian PM

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Photo: Toomas Huik

Making decisions on asylum requests is a humanitarian act, not a political decision, Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip said on Thursday in a comment on the government's rejection of an Afghan interpreter's asylum application.

Ansip said asylum is granted in case all the relevant institutions find that it is necessary.

"If even one institution has objections to granting asylum the application is turned down. This has always been Estonia's asylum policy and the same principles are followed in other European Union countries as well," Ansip said at the government's press conference.

The prime minister observed that Estonian military in Afghanistan have cooperated with 60 interpreters as well as hundreds of police officers and members of local armed forces. In addition, hundreds of local residents have provided useful information to Estonian troops, he said.

"Estonia has given significant assistance to Afghanistan. It is worth remembering that nine young servicemen have given their lives there for the sake of improving Afghanistan's security situation," Ansip said.

The Afghan interpreter known in Estonia as Omar received on Wednesday an e-mail from the Estonian charge d'affaires in Afghanistan informing him that his request for asylum had been denied.

Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said through the State Chancellery that it is standard international practice not to comment on individual cases.

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