The number of asylum seekers at the southeastern border is still higher than usual. About a dozen people have come to Nuijamaa and Vaalimaa during the night.
At the southeastern border of Finland, the number of asylum seekers is still higher than usual.
– During the last night, we have had about a dozen people come to the border crossing points in Nuijamaa and Vaalimaa, says the head of the unit Matti Pitkäniitty From the Border Guard in the morning of .
According to him, people have come to Finland on bicycles and then applied for asylum. The Border Guard banned entry by bike last Thursday, but cyclists are still trying to land.
During yesterday, 39 asylum seekers arrived at the border crossing points, says the Border Guard of Southeast Finland message service in X.
The reason behind the increase in the number of applicants is a change in the operation of the Russian authorities. Russia has started allowing people with incomplete travel documents to the Finnish border.
More arrivals in recent months
The Border Guard announced over the weekend that more people than usual have arrived at the border crossing points in Southeast Finland during the past few months, whose travel documents are not in order.
The main issue has been that people have lacked the visa required to enter the country.
The arrivals are citizens of third countries who have used Russia for transit.
The quantities at the border are still small
Russia has previously put pressure on neighboring countries by directing migrants across the border. At the end of 2015, asylum seekers started arriving from Russia to Finland and Norway.
Belarus has also directed migrants to the borders of Poland and Lithuania in the past.
The change in Russia’s current activities does not seem to be large-scale yet.
– We are talking about really small amounts, so there is really no reason to panic, commented the Director of Research, for example Sinikukka Saari From the Foreign Policy Institute.
Harder measures will only be taken if there are more people coming
In which situation would the eastern border possibly be closed? According to the Border Guard, there is no clear-cut situation in which the border would be closed.
– The law requires that there is a serious threat, Pitkäniitty said on Monday in A-studio.
The Government can restrict traffic at crossing points or close border crossing points. Closures would only be considered if the flow of visitors was larger.
– Then we would be talking about completely different readings. If we are now talking about tens of people a week, then considering additional measures would require hundreds or more people to come, states the deputy commander Jukka Lukkari From the Border Guard of Southeast Finland.