Finland says it might close last checkpoint on border with Russia

Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo has said that the Finnish government might close the last checkpoint on the Finnish-Russian border if needed, in particular if Russia uses illegal migrants as weapons.

Source: Petteri Orpo in an interview with Yle, as reported by European Pravda

Details: "If necessary, Finland will close the entire eastern border. All of its border checkpoints. Asylum applications will be processed at another location," Orpo said.

He noted that Finland shares a 1,300-km border with the Russian Federation; there is no fence or other barriers at the border. Orpo said that while the land border was open, border checkpoints might be closed if necessary in accordance with the Border Service legislation.

Orpo added that if the border is closed, asylum applications can be submitted in the Helsinki airport or at seaports, but not on the eastern border.

Orpo also said he was convinced that Russia’s activities on Finland’s eastern border was just a continuation of its war against Ukraine and its desire to destabilise the West.

"Russia is preventing people from returning to Russia only in the border area, at border checkpoints. People are being pushed across the border and not allowed back. It is in everyone’s interest that this stops. It is also not in the interests of Russia that Russians living in Finland are not allowed to cross the border with Russia," Orpo said.

Background: 

• Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has stated that his government has no intention of negotiating with Russia over the situation at the border after Helsinki closed checkpoints in response to the growing migration pressure and Russian border guards' involvement.
• Earlier, the Finnish government decided to close seven of the eight border crossing points with Russia in response to the growing migration pressure and the involvement of Russian border guards.
• Last Thursday, Finland decided to close the Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra and Niirala border crossings due to a surge in illegal migration. They have been closed to traffic since Saturday, 18 November.
• Finnish border guards have reported that an exceptionally large number of people with no entry documents have been trying to enter Finland through the checkpoints on the southeastern border in recent months.

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