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Helsinki (AP) —Thursday Finnish Parliament drafts amendment on border security to allow closure of crossroads with Russia amid concerns that Moscow may choose to send large numbers of immigrants to the frontier Passed.
The move by lawmakers came just two days later 30 members of NATO have signed a formal accession protocol Finland and Sweden joining the alliance — the result of angering Russia. Membership bids from two Scandinavian countries were approved at the NATO Summit in Madrid at the end of June.
With amendments approved by Finnish legislators, the central left government, led by Prime Minister Sanna Marin, will be in exceptional circumstances, especially at the 1,340 km (830 miles) border with Russia, the longest member state of the European Union. You are given a wide range of authority to limit. ..
With this change, Finland, a country of 5.5 million people, will also be able to build barriers and fences along the Russian border if needed. Finnish President Sauli Niinistö will sign the amendment on Friday.
Legislative reform was driven by government concerns that Russia would try to influence Finland by organizing a large number of asylum seekers at its borders. This happened at the crossroads in northern Finland in 2015 and 2016, when Russian authorities reportedly guided thousands of asylum seekers. there.
Now that Finland has become a NATO observer member, the risk of such a hybrid threat from Moscow is seen as particularly high, but enjoy the security of the alliance until legislative approval is obtained in all 30 member countries. It is not a complete member country.
Russia has repeatedly stated over the past few years that Helsinki and Stockholm are opposed to joining NATO. However, after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, both Finland and Sweden decided to seek accession to the alliance.
“The security situation in Finland and Europe has changed radically in recent months, especially at increased risk of different types of hybrid effects,” Finland’s Minister of Justice Anna Maja Henrikson said in a statement.
“We are pleased that new exceptions, especially covering hybrid threats, have been added to the preparatory action very quickly, with widespread support from Congress,” she said.
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