Borders: open or closed?
Mood:  sharp
Now Playing: Yle TV 2: News
Tonight the Finnish national TV station YLE TV 2 broadcasted the discussion marathon called "Borders - open or closed?".

The theme night was inspired by the fact, that in 2 weeks from now 10 new countries will join the European Union. The extremely exploited myth in Finland tells, that probably fourth of Estonians wants to come to work here.

The Estonians, Finnish, Somalians and other nationalities were gathered to the studio to discuss the subject. The Estonians there were already living in Finland or connected somehow by their jobs to local work markets. There was a waitress, a doctor, an investment banker, a service provider and a writer. Finland's side was represented by the local employers and governmental officers.

The main question was, if the 2-years transferring time is needed and how to avoid the unwanted workers to come here.

The biggest fear from Finnish point of view is the threat of salary-dumping. They assume, that Estonians are willing to work here for lower payment than Finnish people themselves.

The other fear concerns the growing foreigner hatred, which can transform the hidden racism to the open one, but also make the Finland's image as the "promised land" of human rights quite vulnerable.

Somalians and others were sharing their experiences e.g. on police station, in school and in other public places, where they have to feel like second class people day after day. In the same time, a Finnish man, who is living in Sweden said, that he is suffering from the same type of treatment in Sweden. For example in job interviews he is nowadays trying to avoid the question about his homeland...

The discussers were asking, if the spreading of EU would lead to the "Upstairs and Downstairs EU" or would perhaps build a new "iron curtain" inside EU.