Prime Minister | Orpo from the eastern border: We are preparing for the phenomenon to expand – also comments on Tavio's population exchange speeches

Prime minister Petteri Orpon (kok), the government has the opportunity to introduce new measures if the situation at the eastern border continues as it is now.

The entire eastern border is currently closed by the government's decision, but this week there has been news about crossing the border via terrain. On Thursday, 11 Iranian men crossed the eastern border in this way.

Orpo spoke about the matter at the meeting of the party council of the coalition on Saturday. According to him, the government will not be helpless in the situation. However, Orpo did not reveal what the available means are.

“I won't go into individual methods, but what I will say is that we will go through all possible work tools and methods that we have within the framework of the legislation. We also have the opportunity to review the legislation if the situation requires it. We are now working to be able to take responsibility for the security of the eastern border in all situations,” Orpo told reporters during the meeting.

According to him there is no change in Russia's behavior.

“It is estimated that there are hundreds if not thousands of people in Russia who are ready to come to Finland, and therefore it was necessary to continue the closure. It has worked, but we need to be prepared for the phenomenon to expand.”

According to Orpo, it is possible for Finland to increase control, guarding and obstacles at the border.

“I think we have the best border guards and other security personnel in the world. A fence has been built at critical points, and more will be built in the spring. As a NATO country, we also have significantly more intelligence available.”

According to Orpo, the situation is calm at the moment. He says that possible legislative reforms are also currently being evaluated to guarantee border security.

“Those that are feasible and necessary will be implemented as quickly as possible. We will do everything we can to prevent illegal border crossings.”

Orphan the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development also gave a brief comment to the journalists Ville Tavion (ps) talks about the “population change process”. Orpo said that he had a conversation with the government on Friday.

“As far as the government is concerned, I have made it very clear what I think is appropriate language. Yesterday I stated very emphatically to the government that we have such big issues in this country: there are the challenges of the economy and border security, there is a war going on in our immediate environment. Now if everyone would focus on taking care of these big things. Neither provokes nor is provoked, but appropriate language is used.”

Orpo was asked how Tavio's population exchange speeches fit in with the fact that the government has agreed that there is “zero tolerance” for racism.

“The government is committed to our equality report and its principles. And as I said, yesterday I have stated that now everyone has to focus on their work. Everyone knows what our common commitment requires of us. One should not provoke a discussion, but respect what we have agreed together.”

Habit said on Wednesday Turku Sanomat that he supports the presidential candidate of the basic Finns Jussi Halla-ahon the idea that the requirement of Finnish citizenship by birth would be extended to parliamentarians and ministers in addition to the president.

According to the newspaper, Tavio says that he considers it a risk that representatives of a foreign power would become the wielders of supreme power if the parentage requirement was not tightened.

“I consider this a risk due to the ongoing population change process,” Tavio answered in the newspaper's poll to the region's MPs.

The Protection Police (Supo) has warned about the population exchange theory. According to Supo, ethno-nationalism, i.e. the preservation of ethnic unity, and the population exchange theory have been an essential basis for justifying extreme right-wing violence in recent years.

Tavio has referred to the theory several times in parliament, what HS wrote about last July.