According to Helsingin Sanomat, a single special flight to Iraq is estimated to cost Finland's budget up to 200,000 euros; the cost of five such flights will total a million euros.
Finland has since February 2016 carried out weekly flights to Baghdad for refugees who voluntarily renounced asylum in Finland. Until now, approximately 500 people have left the country, citing disappointment with Finland's icy reception and frozen climate.
Following an unprecedented influx of asylum seekers to the countries of northern Europe, Finland chose to gradually "tighten the screws" for immigrants who were considered ineligible for asylum. In the fall of 2015, asylum rules were toughened for refugees fleeing Somalia and Iraq; officials argued that there wasn't any war going on in either of the countries, despite Daesh retaining control of northern Iraq. Many countries reject asylum seekers if parts of their native countries remain safe.
Finland's economy has been shrinking for four years in a row due to weak demand from European and Russian markets and problems affecting its main export industries, including technology.
Last year, Finland's government had to settle for a bill increasing capital gains tax and income tax on high earners to help pay for a 10-fold increase in refugees. According to Finland's Migration Board, a total of 32,476 refugees, representing 30 nationalities, were taken in last year.
