On November 18, Finland will close four of the eight checkpoints on its border with Russia.
The press service of the Finnish government informed about this on November 16.
Which checkpoints will be closed?
It is reported that from November 18, 2023 to February 18, 2024, the Imatra, Vaalimaa, Niirala and Nuijamaa checkpoints will be closed.
Applications for international protection will be accepted at the Salla and Vartius checkpoints.
We acted decisively and quickly to prevent the situation on the eastern border from worsening, – said the head of the Finnish government, Petteri Orpo.
The Finnish government says it has detected signs that foreign authorities or other actors played a role in facilitating illegal migration.
Finnish Interior Minister Marie Rantanen stressed that the country is ready to take even more drastic measures.
Helsinki’s intention to limit the operation of checkpoints on the border with the Russian Federation became known at the beginning of the week.
As the head of the Finnish Ministry of Internal Affairs explained, this decision was caused by the influx of refugees arriving from Russia from Syria, Yemen, Somalia and other countries.
For Russian citizens, the inability to enter Finland may lead to a massive seizure of real estate.
The Finnish authorities plan to allow the seizure of real estate from late payments or unresponsive owners by 2027.
With the tightening of restrictions on entry into Finland, paying bills and taxes has become almost impossible. Making bank payments from the Russian Federation is also difficult due to sanctions.
