Only in September did Finland close its border to cars with Russian license plates – now cyclists are no longer allowed to enter some border crossings. Apparently more and more people are trying to get to Finland illegally by bicycle.
Public broadcaster Yle reports, citing Finnish officials, that until recently Russian authorities did not allow people without valid documents to leave the country at the border. However, since August, the Border Guard has identified 91 people who came from third countries, traveled through Russia and applied for asylum at the border in Finland.
Thirty asylum seekers arrived on wheels last week, said the deputy commander of the border guard in southeastern Finland, Jukka Lukkari, Yle. “This is clearly a growing phenomenon.”
Security expert Jukka Savolainen told Yle that Russia’s behavior sent a clear message to Finland. “If they open the route there, we will soon have a refugee problem.” The Interior Ministry told Yle it was prepared for a change at the border. According to Finland, Russia had already sent a large number of asylum seekers to the border in 2015. In Finland, this was seen at the time as an attempt by Russia to put pressure on the country and the EU.
Finnish border guards only confirmed on Sunday that entry by bicycle is no longer allowed. The measure has been in force since last Thursday. This caused irritation on the Russian side, reports the independent online magazine Fontanka. Apparently even the Russian border guards didn’t know about it at first. But there are now signs with crossed-out bicycles.
According to the report, the ban applies to three border crossings in southeastern Finland. It is generally forbidden to cross the border on foot. The legal option left is to enter Finland by bus.
After the Baltic states, Finland also banned entry of cars with Russian license plates in September. The basis for this is a clarification from the European Commission on September 8 about the implementation of sanctions against Russia. Accordingly, vehicles registered in Russia are no longer allowed to enter EU territory. Finland is the EU country with by far the longest border with Russia.
Used sources:
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
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