⁠Why is Finland voting to stop migrants coming from Russia?

Finland’s parliament is set to vote on a controversial bill aimed at granting border guards the authority to turn back asylum seekers crossing from Russia.

In late 2023, Finland witnessed a significant influx of migrants at its borders, predominantly from countries such as Syria, Somalia, and Yemen. Between August and December last year, over 1,300 asylum seekers crossed from Russia into Finland, with a notable peak of 900 arrivals in November alone.

This surge prompted Helsinki to shut its land borders with Russia, citing concerns over national security and societal stability. The Finnish government has accused Russia of weaponising migration, a claim Moscow denies.

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Interior Minister Mari Rantanen had highlighted the severity of the situation in February, stating, “We have information that thousands of people on the Russian side are waiting to get to Finland,” and described this as “a threat to society.” However, she did not disclose how Finnish authorities obtained this information.

Will the bill pass?

The Finnish government, led by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s rightwing coalition, introduced a bill to empower border guards to reject asylum seekers at the Russian border.

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This proposal, while seen as essential by supporters to prevent future mass migrations, contradicts Finland’s international human rights commitments.

The bill is expected to pass, albeit with a tight majority, as it requires a five-sixths majority in the initial vote to be deemed urgent and a two-thirds majority in the final vote.

Ben Zyskowicz, a lawmaker from the ruling National Coalition Party, highlighted the necessity of the bill, stating, “Should Russia want to, it has the ability to mobilise and push hundreds, thousands of so-called asylum seekers to our borders in a matter of days or weeks.”

On the other hand, Sofia Virta, leader of the opposition Green Party, urged lawmakers to “hold on to the rule of law” and “respect Finland’s international commitments,” arguing that there is no guarantee this will effectively counter Russia’s influence, reported Reuters.

Is Russia complicit?

Helsinki asserts that Moscow is orchestrating these crossings as a retaliatory measure for Finland’s decision to join NATO, an alliance that supports Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.

This allegation is strongly denied by the Kremlin, which insists it is not using migration as a weapon. The Finnish Interior Ministry has stated its intention to draft legislation swiftly to strengthen border security and counteract any attempts by Russia to pressure Finland through instrumentalised migration.

The international border between Finland and Russia stretches 1,340 km (830 miles) from north to south, passing mainly through taiga forests and sparsely populated rural regions. This border also serves as an external boundary of the European Union and Nato.

Aren’t there concerns around human rights?

Despite the proposed law’s alignment with emergency measures under exceptional circumstances, it faces significant criticism for potentially breaching international human rights agreements.

Heikki Vestman, chair of the Finnish parliament’s constitutional committee, told a press conference in June that this conflict but justified the law as a temporary emergency measure. Vestman also insisted that the legislation must include a procedure allowing those rejected to appeal the decision.

Since the border closure, the number of new arrivals has significantly decreased, with no new asylum seekers reported since March.

Finland’s immigration authority noted that out of the migrants who arrived last year, approximately 160 individuals could not be located and are believed to have moved on to other European countries. This situation is part of the broader challenges facing the European Union in managing migration and asylum seekers.

Rantanen had pointed out that existing EU legislation does not adequately address the type of situation Finland is currently facing.

With inputs from agencies