Finland seeks to extend controversial border security law
The Finnish government announced that it wants to extend until December 31, 2028, a controversial law that allows migrants and refugees arriving at the eastern border with Russia to be immediately turned back, in an effort to prevent Moscow from weaponizing migration, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.
The Border Security Act authorizes Finnish border guards to temporarily suspend the acceptance of asylum applications, block refugees and migrants seeking to enter the country, and return them to Russia when the Helsinki government considers the situation to involve “instrumentalized migration.”
Its implementation requires a specific decision by the government and can only be used when there are no other sufficiently effective means of protecting Finland’s sovereignty and national security.
“Finland has taken strong measures to ensure border security. This law helps us ensure that border authorities can act effectively in the face of serious incidents involving instrumentalized migration,” Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said in a statement.
Parliament is expected to approve the extension of the law.
The temporary legislation entered into force on July 22, 2024, following an unusual increase the previous year in the flow of refugees from third countries through Russia. Helsinki described the phenomenon as a “hybrid attack” by Moscow in response to Finland’s accession to NATO.
The law was initially valid for one year, but the Finnish government decided to extend it until December 31, 2026, arguing that the threat at the border remained “high and unpredictable.”
Finland also decided to close all border crossing points with Russia to passenger traffic and construct a metal fence equipped with video surveillance at the most vulnerable sections of its 1,340-kilometer border with Russia.
“So far, the closure of border crossing points has proven sufficient to curb instrumentalized migration, and for the time being, this has not spread to other parts of the border,” the Interior Ministry said in the statement.
Although the measure is temporary, the controversial legislation has faced significant criticism from the opposition, Finnish officials, and legal experts because it conflicts with international migration and asylum law.
Immediate rejection at the border is prohibited under the European Convention on Human Rights, the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Photo: Chat GPT
