In particular, Helsinki fears that Moscow will use migrants to exert political pressure.
Finland plans to build new fences on parts of its border with Russia as a result of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the government learned on Friday (June 10).
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Fearing in particular that Moscow will use migrants to exert political pressure, Helsinki on Thursday submitted a draft amendment aimed at strengthening the fences at certain points of the huge border, nearly 1,300 kilometers long. Its entry into force is desired “as fast as possible“. The announcement comes after Finland’s candidacy for NATO, which makes the Nordic country fear reprisals called “hybrids“, such as cyberattacks or non-military destabilization operations. “The purpose of this bill is to improve the operational capacity of border guards in response to hybrid threats“, explained to AFP Anne Ihannus, adviser to the Ministry of the Interior. “The war in Ukraine has contributed to the urgency of this issue“, underlined the person in charge.
“The fence will target the places considered to be the most important”
Currently, the borders of the Nordic country are secured by small wooden palisades, intended to prevent cattle from crossing. “What we are looking to build now are sturdy fences that have the effect of real barriers“, explained Sanna Palo, director of Legal Affairs of the border guards. “In all likelihood, the fence will not cover the entire eastern border, but will target the places considered to be the most important“, did she say.
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In the event of an influx of migrants, the government’s proposal also aims to concentrate asylum seekers at specific points on the border. The places considered as priorities will be defined later, as well as the budget for the project, said the Ministry of the Interior. Most of the border runs through very sparsely populated areas.
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