Published 28 March 2024 at 09.59
Domestic. The government in Finland has drawn up a bill which means that immigrants can be stopped already at the border – and denied both entry into the country and asylum.
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TwittraShareThe proposal has received harsh criticism from left-wing organizations and is accused of violating several international agreements and “human rights”.
However, the law is limited. It may only be applied for a maximum of one month at a time and assumes that there is a threat to Finland's sovereignty or national security, writes Yle. It is also required that there is no other way to ensure security.
Finland closed the border with Russia last fall after hundreds of Third World immigrants came and sought asylum. The Finnish government identified the whole thing as a hybrid operation from Russia.
The government now wants to open the border again – but not to asylum seekers.
The former president Sauli Niinistö says in the Yle program “A-studio” that he thought along similar lines in 2016, when a large number of immigrants also arrived at the border.
– When I brought it up in the Riksdag, I received harsh criticism, says Niinistö in A- studio.
Finland's sitting president Alexander Stubb defended the bill on Wednesday.
– Sometimes there are situations when you have to take measures where safety comes first, said Stubb.