Finland's right-wing government has asked parliament to extend until the end of 2026 the emergency law that allows it to reject asylum applications from migrants crossing the eastern border with Russia, authorities in Helsinki said, quoted by "Reuters".
The law, which was adopted in July 2024 as a temporary measure for one year, allows Finland to turn back asylum seekers who have crossed the border with Russia without examining their applications. According to the government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, this mechanism is necessary to prevent future attempts to weaponize migration - a tactic that Helsinki accuses Moscow of.
"The threat of instrumental migration along Finland's eastern border remains high and unpredictable", said Interior Minister Mari Rantanen. She described the situation as "tense but stable".
In 2023, more than 1,300 migrants from countries such as Syria, Iraq and Yemen crossed into the country from Russian territory, which led to the complete closure of border crossings with Russia at the end of that year. From January 2024. So far, only eight people have crossed the border illegally, according to interior ministry figures.
For the law to be extended, it must receive the support of three-quarters of the 200-member parliament, a high requirement that reflects the importance of the fundamental principles at stake.
However, Finland’s anti-discrimination ombudsman has said the measure is contrary to international human rights commitments and EU asylum rules. The chancellor of justice, an independent senior official tasked with overseeing the legality of government action, said this month that the proposal for an extension lacked sufficient reasoning and stressed that emergency legislation must be temporary in nature.
The current law expires on July 21, 2025.