Finland to close all but one Russia border crossing to stop asylum seekers

[CharlieH]

 

Finland has said it will close all but one crossing point on its border with Russia in an effort to halt a flow of asylum seekers to the Nordic nation, as Estonia accused Moscow of mounting “a hybrid attack operation” on Europe’s eastern border.

The announcement on Wednesday came after weeks of tension on the 830-mile (1,330km) border across which Helsinki accuses Moscow of guiding refugees and migrants in an apparent act of revenge for the Nordic nation’s cooperation with the US.

 

From midnight on Friday, said the Finnish prime minister, Petteri Orpo, the only open border crossing of Finland’s eight stations would be its northernmost at Raja-Jooseppi.

Estonia levelled similar accusations at Russia on Wednesday, saying Moscow was involved in “a hybrid attack operation” to bring people to its border in an attempt to undermine security and unsettle the Baltic state’s population.

Since Thursday 75 people, largely from Somalia and Syria, had attempted to enter Estonia from Russia through the Narva crossing point, the Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported. None had asked for asylum and all had been turned back, the interior ministry said.

Estonia has made preparations to follow in the footsteps of Finland and close border crossings if “the migration pressure from Russia escalates”, the interior minister, Lauri Läänemets, told Reuters through a spokesperson.

 

FULL STORY

 

[thaibeachlovers]

How come Finland can stop illegal immigrants while other EU countries are apparently prevented from doing so?

[RayC]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

How come Finland can stop illegal immigrants while other EU countries are apparently prevented from doing so?

 

How are other EU countries prevented from stopping illegal immigrants? What's the difference between Finland and other EU member states in this context?