The import of animals and food from the Russian Federation to Finland will be stopped from November 18

Moscow. November 17. INTERFAX.RU – The import of animals, food and products of animal origin, as well as the import and transit of plants and plant products from the Russian Federation to Finland will be stopped from November 18 this year, reports on Friday by the Finnish Food Safety Agency.

This is due to the government’s decision to close the border crossings on the southeastern border – Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra and Niirala – from November 18th. The decision is valid until February 18, 2024.

According to the report, the import of animals and food will be impossible because the Vaalimaa crossing, the only border control point on the eastern border, is closed. “Due to the closure of Vaalimaa, transit consignments of goods of animal origin cannot leave through it as long as the border is closed. Inspections of cargo leaving through Vaalimaa will not be carried out at the border control point of the port of Vuosaari as long as the border is closed. Export of goods of animal origin through the northern border crossing points is not possible,” the statement said.

The agency also says that the import and transit of plants and plant products will stop, as Vaalimaa is the only border control point allowed for them. “The export of plants and plant products from Finland to Russia, which require a phytosanitary certificate, is possible through border control points that remain open,” the message clarifies.

As reported, the Finnish government decided to close the border crossings with Russia on the night from Friday to Saturday in the southeast of the country – Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Niirala and Imatra. On the eastern border, the Vartius, Salla, Kuusamo and Raja-Jooseppi border crossings remain open.

This decision was justified by the fact that recently, according to Finnish media, the number of asylum seekers trying to get into Finland through the Russian border has increased significantly.

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