In a short time, Finland has experienced a sharp increase in the number of people seeking asylum at the Finnish border.
The persons have been allowed to pass the Russian border controls without holding the necessary permits, and have arrived at Finnish border crossings in the south-east of the country on foot or on bicycles.
There they have then asked for asylum. The people are from third countries in the Middle East and Africa, such as Iraq, Yemen and Somalia, according to national broadcaster Yle.
– The phenomenon seems to be growing. It is difficult to predict the future, but it seems that the number will increase, said Lt. Col. Jukka Lukkari, deputy commander of the Southeast Finnish Border Guard Authority in Finland, on Monday.
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Pointing to Russia
In 2015, a similar situation arose on the Norwegian-Russian border in Eastern Finnmark.
In a short time, 5,465 asylum seekers arrived in Storskog.
Many of these asylum seekers were also from third countries in the Middle East and Africa, and were let through the Russian border control without the necessary documentation and permits.
At this time, Jøran Kallmyr (Frp) was state secretary in the Ministry of Justice, a ministry he later led.
MINISTER: From 2014 to 2016, Jøran Kallmyr was State Secretary in the Ministry of Justice. From 2019 to 2020, he was Minister of Justice. Here from 2019. Photo: Lars Eivind Bones / Dagbladet Show more
– In 2015, I am not sure whether the Russian authorities sent these asylum seekers on purpose. I think it was completely ordinary corruption that led to the situation, but it is obvious that Russia then saw that this could be used as a hybrid weapon, says Kallmyr, now a partner in the law firm Ræder Bing, to Dagbladet.
– Do you think Russia is behind the current increase in asylum seekers to Finland?
– Now there is nothing in Russia, at least not vis-à-vis Finland, that is accidental. We are both dealing with a dictator state that wants to bully its neighbours, replies Kallmyr.
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– Maybe they are annoyed
The number of asylum seekers who come to Finland via Russia is still limited in number. In two days, around 60 people from third countries have arrived.
Since August, the number has been around 100.
The Finnish authorities nevertheless take the situation seriously, and warn that they may close the borders to Russia – “if necessary”.
These were the crises between Russia and Norway in 2015
– Russia has changed its behavior and allows these people to cross the borders without the necessary travel documents. This change is the reason why we are monitoring the situation closely. We can react quickly if necessary, says Finland’s prime minister Petteri Orpo til avisa Iltalehti.
The reason why Russia does not now enforce the requirements for crossing the Russian border to Finland is unclear.
– Maybe they are annoyed by some of Finland’s activities. You have to ask the Russian authorities about this, said Interior Minister Mari Rantanen during a press conference on Thursday afternoon. according to Iltalehti.
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Introduced legislative changes
As long as the borders between Russia and Finland are open, the Finnish authorities do not have the opportunity to deport people who request asylum.
The Finnish border guard confirms this to Dagbladet.
Those who have reached the Finnish border control and requested asylum have their asylum applications processed in the ordinary way. They are allowed to stay in Finland while their applications are processed, but remain under the control of the Finnish immigration authorities.
This was also how Norway had to deal with the asylum seekers who came to Norway via Russia until the then Minister of Justice Anders Anundsen (Frp) and the Ministry of Justice got through a change in the law.
Have started the “Putin fence”
– Norway now has the option to reject applications from people who arrive from a place where they have a safe stay. Before, you could also apply for asylum if you arrived from a place where you could not apply for asylum, says Kallmyr to Dagbladet.
He therefore feels confident that the situation that arose at Storskog in 2015 will not be repeated in Norway.
– Now we have completely different tools in the toolbox. We will not get anything new in 2015 in Norway, says the former State Secretary and Minister of Justice.
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– Criminal states
Kallmyr “feels confident” that Finland will handle the situation they are now facing.
– They have been aware of this problem for many years, and have known that it could arise. Finland has handled and continues to handle its policy towards Russia in a good way, says Kallmyr.
He describes the Norwegian-Finnish border cooperation as “close and good”, and that the two countries’ authorities exchange information continuously.
“Go now. Don’t come back”
There are also decisive differences in the situation at Storskog in 2015 and the situation in Finland now, in addition to the number of asylum seekers, Kallmyr points out.
– This must be seen in the light of the security challenges with Russia. In addition, in 2015 there was a large wave of immigration throughout Europe, says Kallmyr.
Belarus, one of Russia’s few allies, has for several years lured asylum seekers to the country and then forced them by force to Poland’s border controls.
– It’s absolutely terrible. These countries show a cynicism you wouldn’t think existed, but these have become dictatorship states. These are criminal states that subject their own citizens to abuse, and go to war against other states. Unfortunately, I am not surprised, says Kallmyr.
2023-11-14 15:45:57
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