On Thursday, the government of Finland announced the closure of four crossing points along its border with Russia due to concerns over irregular migration. The closure, which will come into effect on November 18th, is set to remain in place for one year.
Subsequent to the closure, only two crossing points, Vartius and Salla, will be available for asylum seekers to submit their applications. This may present some difficulties as asylum pleas can only be filed within Finnish territory or ports of entry, which means asylum seekers now have fewer channels for entering Finland and lodging their asylum claims as per the guidelines detailed by UNHCR: “How to Apply for Asylum in Finland“.
The Finnish Interior Minister, Mari Rantanen, has remarked that the government will not hesitate to take stronger measures if deemed necessary. However, the Finnish Non-Discrimination Ombudsman has warned the government that it must ensure adequate access to the asylum process and respect the right to seek asylum. The ombudsman furthermore highlighted that adherence to principles such as the right to seek asylum, prohibition of collective expulsion, and the principle of non-refoulement are critical within both EU law and the Finnish legal framework.
The Finnish government proceeded with the closure under its Border Guard Act, specifically invoking Section 16 of the act which enables the government to close its borders if required to prevent serious threats to public order or national security. The decision was justified by the Finnish State Council in light of a recent observed surge in illegal immigration which, it explained, strained Border Guard resources at the southeast border. The council also accused Russian authorities of stimulating and facilitating the influx of Belarusian migrants into Finland via Russia, an allegation to which Russia has yet to respond.
For more details, please visit the original article on JURIST – News.