The Finnish parliament approved a provisional law that would enable the border guards to deny entry to third-world asylum seekers from Russia at its borders on Friday.
Out of the 200-seat parliament, 167 lawmakers voted in favor of this bill, which will be valid for a year, allowing the Nordic nation to prevent and send back asylum seekers that Russia orchestrates to its borders. However, the law that awaits approval by President Alexander Stubb will not deny entry to minors, the disabled, or those whom border guards believe to be in a vulnerable position.
In November 2023, Finland accused Russia of attempting to use the migration as a weapon and closed the 1,340-kilometre land border with its neighbor. This is shortly after Finland joined NATO and after over 1,300 migrants entered the country within three months without proper visas or documentation. The claims were deemed “unsubstantiated” by Russian officials.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finland-Russia relations have dramatically deteriorated. Thus, the provisional law on “instrumentalized immigration” is intended to prevent the country’s national security from being jeopardized.
“This is a strong message to Russia and to our allies that Finland looks after its own security as well as the border security of the European Union,” Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said.
Legal experts, human rights organizations, and several academics warn that “pushbacks,” forcing individuals back to borders, violate the Finnish Constitution, the United Nations’ international rights commitments, and European Union pledges.
The draft bill had already been criticized by Michael O’Flaherty, the Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe, who advocated against its passage.
A June statement from the Council of Europe stated, “The Commissioner emphasizes that the relationship between national security and human rights is not a zero-sum game.” The Commissioner also expressed concern that should the Finnish draft law be approved, it could create unsettling precedents for other nations and the “international asylum system.”
However, the Finnish population seemed to be largely in favor of the bill before its passage. In late June, a major Finnish newspaper (ILTA-SANOMAT) commissioned a survey in which 55 percent of women and 75 percent of men supported the bill; almost 65 percent of Finns indicated they supported the law, and just 19 percent said they were against it.
Finland is not the only country that has proposed such laws; Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland have already introduced similar laws.
Article by Lena Ndolo
