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Finland plans to build a fence on the border with Russia

Finland plans to amend its border law to allow the construction of a fence on its eastern border with Russia, currently marked only by signs.

Finland and Russia share a 1,300-kilometer border, most of which is marked by signs and lines. Helsinki on June 9 announced plans to amend the law to allow the construction of new fences and roads to facilitate border patrols on the Finnish side.

“The government will decide on fencing in key areas on the eastern border, based on the assessment of the Border Force,” Interior Minister Krista Mikkonen said.





Road sign at the border gate in the town of Imatra, Finland, bordering Russia in March. Photo: Reuters.

Road sign at the border gate in the town of Imatra, Finland, bordering Russia in March. Photo: Reuters.

Finland last month applied to join the NATO military alliance, a move denied Russia protest. Helsinki is rushing to beef up border security over fears Russia could pressure it by sending asylum seekers to the Finnish border, as the EU alleges how Belarus did late last year when hundreds of migrants from the Middle East, Afghanistan and Africa stuck at the Polish border.

The Finnish government also said on June 9 that amendments to the law would include a proposal to accept asylum applications only at specific points of entry. Under current EU regulations, migrants have the right to seek asylum at any point of entry to enter an EU member state.

Finland became a neutral country through a friendship treaty with the Soviet Union in 1948, with the hope of preventing a recurrence of the 1939 Finnish-Soviet war, which killed more than 80,000 soldiers.

Throughout the Cold War, the Nordic country maintained its principle of non-alignment, despite the influence of both blocs led by the Soviet Union and the United States. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Finland gradually shifted its foreign focus to the West, marked by its decision to join the EU in 1995.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Finland that it was a mistake to abandon its policy of neutrality to apply for NATO membership. Russia last month cut off gas supplies to Finland on the pretext of not paying in rubles at Moscow’s request.





Seven decades of NATO advance in Europe.  Graphics: Statista.

Seven decades of NATO advance in Europe. Graphics: Statista.

Huyen Le (Follow Reuters)

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