Finnish Government Closes Border Checkpoints with Russia Due to Migration Pressure

The Finnish government has decided to close seven checkpoints on the border with Russia in response to growing migration pressure and the involvement of Russian border guards, leaving open only the most difficult one.

Source: Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo reports “European truth” with reference to Yle

Details: According to the decision of the Finnish government, three more border crossing points at Kuusamo, Salla and Vartius on the land border between Finland and Russia will be closed on the night of November 25th.

Only one Finnish-Russian border crossing point, Raja-Joosepi, will remain open, where asylum seekers can apply for international protection.

Note that this border crossing point is the most difficult to reach for Russians and is open only four hours a day.

Background:

Last Thursday, Finland decided to close the border crossings of Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra and Niirala due to a surge in illegal migration. Since Saturday they closed to traffic. The decision to close seven checkpoints on the Finnish-Russian border will remain in effect until February 25. Finnish border guards reported that in recent months, people have tried to enter Finland through checkpoints on the southeastern border. exceptionally large number of peoplewho do not have entry documents. The day before, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo made it clearthat the government may close the remaining checkpoints that are still operating on the border with the Russian Federation, due to Moscow’s use of illegal migrants as weapons.
2023-11-22 17:40:07
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