“The Border Procedures Act is necessary, but it doesn't solve anything, no matter how fast the procedure is, if the other country doesn't accept.”
Government is preparing several new measures for the law in case the situation on the eastern border remains difficult for a long time or acquires new features.
Prime minister Petteri Orpo (kok) says that all possible scenarios are now being reviewed so that appropriate additional measures can be taken in use if necessary. One of the options to be clarified is how Finland works in a situation where people try to come across the border despite the brackets.
The so-called push back procedure has appeared in the public debate. It would mean returning people from the border back to Russia without processing asylum applications in certain situations.
Chairman of the Defense Committee Jukka Kopra (cook) thinks sothat push back legislation is needed, even though he doesn't think it's a pleasant thing either.
“These are the ones that need to be sorted out. That's why I don't want to take a position on them at this stage,” Orpo commented on Kopra's proposal to STT.
The whole is legally demanding. Civil servants are bound not only by EU legislation but also by the Finnish constitution. According to the law, each case of an asylum seeker at the border should be handled individually, and so-called mass solutions should not be made.
Among other things, Poland and Lithuania have used a similar procedure for asylum seekers after Belarus' hybrid operation began at their external borders in 2021. Poland's actions have since been condemned at least by the European Court of Human Rights and Lithuania's actions by the EU Court.
Orphan According to It requires a reform of the legislation and various preparations.
The border crossings between Finland and Russia are currently closed until January 14, but the closure will be extended if necessary.
“When the deadline ends in mid-January, we must have accurate information and a picture of what the situation is in Russia, and decisions will then be made accordingly.”
Prime minister reminds that the situation was calm when the border was last closed for two weeks, but the phenomenon continued as soon as it was opened for a short time.
Kopra has also floated the idea of ​​abolishing border stations completely. Orpo doesn't think it's very relevant now.
“Now all the border crossings are closed and if, hopefully, the situation starts to improve one day, we'll see after that how many of them are opened.”
Orpo thinks it's good that the so-called border procedure law is progressing in the Ministry of the Interior. It will help when the border is opened again. The aim of the accelerated procedure at the external border is to ensure that applicants who are likely to receive a negative asylum decision cannot move to other parts of Finland while waiting for the decision, and when a negative decision is received, they can be quickly returned to the country of origin.
“That alone doesn't solve anything, no matter how fast the process is, if the other country doesn't accept,” says Orpo.
The need for international protection is assessed in relation to the applicant's home country. Finland has had challenges returning asylum seekers who have received a negative decision to some countries, for example Iraq.
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