The case of Egyptian grandmother and Copt Eveline Fadayel, who lives in Finland under threat of deportation, is baffling to a Coptic Orthodox priest, the national daily Helsingin Sanomat reports.
“Father Makari, a Coptic priest, is baffled over the Finnish definition of family, according to which a grandmother is not considered a part of the family. ‘In Egypt, our opinion is that once the parents have first taken care of their children, it is then the children’s duty to look after their parents. A mother shouldn’t be separated from her children and grandchildren,’ Makari said to Helsingin Sanomat in Alexandria, Egypt.
The Finnish Immigration Service has refused a residence permit for the 64-year-old Fadayel. Her family, who live in Finland, have said that the grandmother no longer has relatives in Egypt. They are also concerned about her return to Egypt due to the discrimination that Copts face there. Fadayel lives in Finland with her children and grandchildren.
The Coptic Church in Egypt is one of the oldest churches in the world. In Muslim Egypt, Copts are the largest religious minority, numbering between 10 and 15 million.”
