Finland to boost security at Russia border with amended law
Finland’s Parliament has passed amended legislation on border security that allows for the closure of crossing points with Russia
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Finland’s Parliament on Thursday passed amended legislation on border security that allows for the closure of crossing points with Russia amid fears that Moscow could choose to send large numbers of migrants to the frontier.
The move by lawmakers came just two days after NATO's 30 members signed formal accession protocols for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance — an outcome that has angered Russia. The two Nordic nations' membership bids were approved at a NATO summit at the end of June in Madrid.
The amendments approved by Finnish lawmakers will give the center-left government led by Prime Minister Sanna Marin wider powers to restrict border traffic in exceptional situations particularly on the 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia, the longest of any European Union member.
The changes would also allow Finland, a nation of 5.5 million, to build barriers and fences along the border with Russia if needed. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto is due to sign the amendments into law on Friday.
The legislative reform was prompted by the government’s concern that Russia would try to influence Finland by organizing large numbers of asylum-seekers to the border — something that happened at northern Finnish crossing points in 2015 and 2016 as Russian authorities reportedly ushered thousands of asylum-seekers there.
The risk of such hybrid threats from Moscow is seen as being particularly high now that Finland has become an observer member of NATO, but not yet a full member enjoying the alliance’s security guarantees, pending legislative approvals in all 30 member states.
Russia has repeatedly said over the past few years that it is against Helsinki and Stockholm joining NATO. But both Finland and Sweden decided to seek membership in the alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
“The security situation in Finland and Europe has changed fundamentally in recent months, and especially the risk of a different kind of hybrid influence has increased,” Finnish Justice Minister Anna-Maja Henriksson said in a statement.
“I’m glad that a new exception which covers hybrid threats in particular was added to the preparedness act so quickly with the broad support of the Parliament,” she said.
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine