Finland to change legislation to block entry of Russian migrants

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (Getty Images)

Finland will amend its legislation next week to allow border guards to block the entry of migrants from Russia, according to Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

According to the Finnish Prime Minister, the proposal will be submitted to parliament and then reviewed by the constitutional committee. It will require a five-sixths majority in parliament to approve the changes, making it uncertain whether the amendments will pass.

The new bill will enable border services to block crossings from Russia and use force if necessary. However, this will not apply to children and people with disabilities, whose asylum applications Finland will continue to process.

"There are still thousands of people in Russia who are waiting for an opportunity to reach the Finnish border," Orpo said, citing intelligence data.

Migrants at Finland-Russia border

In 2024, Finland faced a significant wave of migrants at its border with Russia, particularly from Somalia and Iraq. This led Finland to close the border with Russia, and the recent extension of the ban on the operation of border crossing points followed.