Finland to close four border points with Russia to stop asylum seekers

On 18 November, Finland will close four of the nine border points with Russia to halt the wave of asylum seekers, Finnish Prime Minister Petter Orpo has said.

Finland's president said on November 15th that increasing the number of asylum seekers appears to be revenge for Finland's co-operation with the United States in the field of defence.

Finland, the state of the European Union, which is a NATO member this year, after many years of neutrality, has angered Russia, with which it shares a border of 1,340km.

This border section of Finland with Russia also serves as the European Union's external border.

The four border points to be closed are in southeastern Finland and are among the most charged points for circulation between the two sides.

The government has decided today that Finland will close several eastern border points. East border points will be closed in the night between Friday and Saturday”, Orpo said at a news conference.

This week, dozens of asylum seekers from Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, and Syria have arrived in Finland, via Russia.

The accumulated number of incomes since September is now 280 asylum seekers, The Watchtower Border Authority said on Thursday.

Asylum seekers arriving via Russia from November 17th onward will be allowed to submit their demands to only two northern border points, the Finnish government said.

About 3,000 people use Finland's southeast border points on a daily basis.

Orpo said he understood that closing border points would make daily life more difficult for people allowed to travel between Finland and Russia. / REL/