Russia’s hybrid influence on the eastern border is also reflected in the operations of the border stations.
Päivi Suikkanen,
I guess Jaskari
Chairman of the Defense Committee Jukka Kopra (co.) is ready to consider the number of current border stations if Russia continues to have a hybrid influence on the eastern border.
– If this mood continues on the Russian side, it is justified to ask whether so many border stations are needed on the eastern border at all, stated Kopra in the A-studio on Monday.
There are a total of nine international border crossing points on the border between Finland and Russia. According to Kopra, almost all border stations could be closed. “Zero or one position” could remain.
– If this trend continues, then the border will be closed, which means that no border station is needed. Maybe Vainikkala is needed in order to transport fertilizers to the world from Russia by train, Kopra says.
The chairman of the defense committee reminds that the difficulties caused by Russia at the border stations were a good thing. People were able to move across the border, there was interaction and trade.
Just a few years ago, Finland was thinking about opening the Parikkala border crossing, which would be a direct connection to Sortavala, reminds the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Kimmo Kiljunen (sd.)
– Now we are in a situation where we are even considering closing all border stations. The border between Finland and Russia is and will remain. We have to prepare for the future so that it is a normal limit. If closed, it would be temporary.
Kiljunen does not want to comment on the number of border stations in the future.
Specialist in hybrid threats Hannah Smith considers it important that the risks and challenges of the border situation are recognized and taken into account.
– Maybe this whole thing needs to be practiced here, and then maybe it’s better that there is less movement than more.
The eastern border was closed again on Friday for a month, when asylum seekers started to appear at the border again. Prime minister Petteri Orpon (co.) according to the government must prepare more permanent solutions to the border situation.
Among other things, the Ministry of the Interior is preparing an amendment to the Aliens Act, which would prevent those seeking asylum without justification from moving freely in Finland.
This so-called border procedure means that, for example, an applicant on the eastern border will not be allowed to go to other areas of the Finnish state during the examination of the application, as in the normal asylum procedure.
Watch Monday’s A-studio at Areena.