Finland to shut down half of border crossing with Russia
Finish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said this restriction aims to limit crossings by people with "incomplete travel documents." The post Finland to shut down half of border crossing with Russia appeared first on Euromaidan Press.
On 18 November, Finland will close four checkpoints on the border with Russia, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported.
On 16 November, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said that the border crossings of Imatra, Niirala, Nuijamaa and Vaalimaa will cease operations on the eastern border of the country. The restrictions will last for three months, until 18 February 2024. However, four more checkpoints will continue operating on the border with Russia – those are Salla, Vartius, Raja-Josepi and Kuusamo.
The Prime Minister said the decision was made because “in recent months more people have been trying to cross the border with incomplete travel documents.” Previously, Russia did not allow those with such problems to cross.
In addition, according to Finnish border guards, 280 Russians have legally entered the country through the eastern border since September 2023. The number of people wishing to enter Finland from Russia is also increasing in the north. Against this backdrop, the authorities expressed concern to Russia but did not receive “concrete answers” to improve the situation.
Context
Back in September 2022, Finland closed the border to Russian tourists with Schengen visas. The government explained this decision by saying that Russian tourists jeopardize international relations.
At the same time, there were exceptions to this decision. The Finnish government compiled a list of about 10 reasons that allowed people to enter Finland. For example, Russians could visit relatives or attend an entrance exam at a Finnish educational institution, as well as travel for work-related reasons, such as business trips or interviews. In addition, truck traffic was allowed.
In April 2023, amid the war in Ukraine and to avoid a migration crisis, Finland began construction of the first section of the fence on the border with Russia, Suspilne reported.
According to Suspilne, on 16 September 2023, the country banned the entry of cars registered in Russia. This was done after an explanation from the European Commission to avoid evading EU sanctions. Since 9 November 2023, Russians have been banned from crossing the border into Finland on bicycles.
Read also:
- Finland preparing new aid package for Ukraine to protect critical infrastructure
- Finland provides rescue vehicles in support for Ukraine
- Finland approves 19th military aid package to Ukraine worth €95 million
You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.
We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society.
A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support.
The post Finland to shut down half of border crossing with Russia appeared first on Euromaidan Press.
