Finland bans Russians from buying property over national security fears
Photo: Antti Häkkänen (GettyImages)
The Finnish Ministry of Defense has blocked 11 real estate purchase agreements involving third-country nationals, including Russian citizens, Yle reports.
Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen refuses to approve requests to purchase real estate by citizens of Russia, Israel, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. The properties in question ranged from residential and vacation homes to commercial premises.
Real estate is one of the ways to exert hybrid influence, the Defense Minister says.
"Therefore we reject real estate acquisitions which we find that threaten national security and security of supply and have the potential to hamper the organisation of national defence activities," Häkkänen explains.
On July 15, Finland officially banned real estate transactions for citizens of Russia and Belarus. The government explains this decision by the need to strengthen the country's security.
The country planned to further expand the list of countries that may pose a threat to national security.
The border between Finland and Russia has been closed for several years.
Finland has decided to deport migrants who manage to enter the country illegally to Russia.
