“Illegal” annexation referendums in eastern Ukraine and the alleged sabotage of Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea “raised concerns”, the official said.
The Nordic country thus aligns itself with the decision adopted at the beginning of September by Poland and the three Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), the other Member States of the European Union (EU) bordering Russia, which also closed the steps to Russian citizens with tourist visas.
The measure was already under discussion in Finland, which has a land border zone of almost 1,300 kilometers with Russia, due to the number of important crossings of Russian tourists during the boreal summer. Between 7,000 and 8,000 people cross the border every day, most through the Vaalimaa pass, the southernmost.
“The decision is intended to completely prevent the current situation of Russian tourism in Finland and related transit through the country,” Haavisto explained at a press conference quoted by the AFP news agency.
Helsinki recognized that this measure could lead to an increase in asylum applications and attempts to cross the border illegally. Parallel to its historic candidacy to join NATO, also motivated by the war in Ukraine and not yet effective, the Scandinavian country presented a plan to reinforce its eastern border with more barriers and fences.
Source: Ambito
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