Finland's Ministry of the Interior has launched a procedure to extend the emergency Border Security Act until December 31, 2028, according to an official statement from the Finnish government.
The legislation, known as the Act on Temporary Measures to Combat Instrumental Migration, gives border authorities the right to refuse asylum applications in certain areas along the land border with Russia and directly return migrants used as a tool for political pressure. The law initially came into force in the summer of 2024 for a one-year period, after which it was extended until the end of 2026, but a new two-year period is now envisaged.
According to Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, assessments by security services show that the risk of organized migrant crossings across the eastern border will remain extremely high for a long period of time, and a rapid improvement in the situation is not expected. The law itself has not yet been implemented in practice, as all land checkpoints between Finland and Russia remain completely closed for an indefinite period under a series of government decisions. The authorities in Helsinki emphasize that the measures have achieved their preventive effect and blocked the migratory pressure, but maintaining preparedness is critically important for the national security of the country, which represents the longest external border of the European Union and NATO with the Russian Federation.