Finland to keep border with Russia closed due to national security threat
Photo: The threat of instrumentalised migration from Russia remains (Getty Images)
All border checkpoints on Finland's eastern border with Russia will remain closed until further notice, the Finnish media resource Yle reports.
The country's government gradually and in stages shut down the eastern border in 2023, eventually closing all border checkpoints along the border in December of that year. This happened against the backdrop of suspicions that Russia was deliberately pushing migrants toward the border crossing points in order to put pressure on the Finnish authorities.
For now, the border closures will continue. In a new statement, Finland’s Ministry of the Interior said the following:
"Based on information available to the Finnish authorities, the risk that instrumentalised migration will resume and expand as seen previously remains likely. If the phenomenon were to continue, it would pose a serious threat to Finland's national security and public order," the country’s Ministry of the Interior reported.
Yle also writes that last week the Finnish Parliament began considering the government's proposal to extend the validity of the border security act by continuing the so-called pushback law (referring to the expulsion of migrants). This legislation allows Border Guard personnel to deny entry to potential asylum seekers if they are being directed to the border as part of Russia's hybrid pressure tactics.
Restrictions in Finland for Russians
About a week ago, the Finnish Parliament approved the government’s proposal for a total ban on the purchase of real estate in the country by citizens of Russia. Moreover, going forward, the Finnish state plans to expand the list of countries that could pose a threat to national security.
