Finland’s Border Security: Prime Minister’s Announcement & Measures

Since the beginning of August, 803 citizens of third countries have arrived in Finland from Russia without the necessary documents, the Prime Minister said.

“This is an organized operation and, by extension, a matter of national security,” he said.

The government’s decision to close the border crossings made it possible to regulate the situation in the south-east of Finland and North Karelia, however, it has not stopped the arrival of asylum seekers, the prime minister said.

“On the contrary, there are more and more signs that the situation is getting worse,” Orpo admitted.

Last week, the worst situation was in Kainū and Lapland. There, 238 people have arrived at the border points of Vartius and Salla, which is an extremely large number, the Prime Minister said.

The government’s measures on the eastern border were justified and proportionate, Orpo said.

These decisions were an urgent need, but they can be canceled if “violations of order” stop and national security is not threatened, he added.

The government will implement additional steps if the already implemented measures do not make the situation easier, the Prime Minister said.

As Defense Minister Antti Heckenen stated, the security situation in Europe has worsened.

“It is quite clear that it will not improve in the near future,” said the minister.

“Russia is behind many serious and slightly less serious problems,” Heckenen stressed.

Finland’s prime minister announced on Wednesday that all border crossing points on the border with Russia will be closed, except for one in the farthest north.

The Minister of the Interior, Mari Rantanen, informed that on Friday at midnight, three more border crossing points will cease to operate, which will be closed at least until December 23.

Another four of the existing eight border crossing points have been closed since Saturday.

Helsinki has thus responded to the growing number of illegal immigrants arriving unhindered from Russia.

Previously, Russian border guards prevented illegal immigrants from entering Finnish border crossings without proper travel documents.

2023-11-23 20:37:00
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