Minister of the Interior Rantanen and Czechia's Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan to meet in Finland

The Czech Republic's Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan will visit Finland between 19 and 21 February. Minister Rakušan will meet Finland's Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and travel with her to Vaalimaa border crossing point, where the ministers will be hosted by the Southeast Finland Border Guard District. The topics on their agenda will include discussions on Finland's action to combat the instrumentalisation of migrants. 

"The situation at the border between Finland and Russia has not changed. The threat of instrumentalised migration remains serious and difficult to predict. Finland’s eastern border is the longest external border that both the EU and NATO have with Russia. The external border of the EU must not become a pathway for instrumentalised migration into Europe," says Minister Rantanen.

Last summer, Finland implemented the Act on Temporary Measures to Combat Instrumentalised Migration (the Border Security Act), which aims to respond to efforts to put pressure on Finland through the instrumentalisation of migrants. This is an exceptive act, meaning that a separate decision will be required to apply it, and it would be last resort to control the situation. Finland has received political support from Czechia in this matter.

The ministers will also discuss the fight against hybrid influence activities (including cable damage in the Baltic Sea) and disinformation, and future changes in the EU migration policy.

“I would like to thank the Czech Republic for their cooperation and for influencing migration issues on a broad scale. The EU needs both innovative solutions to manage migration and comprehensive partnerships with third countries. To support a well-functioning return policy, the EU must make effective use of visa, trade and development policy instruments,” Rantanen says.

Finland and Czechia both signed a letter to the European Commission in May 2024 where 15 Member States stressed the need to explore innovative solutions beyond the EU’s Pact on Migration and Asylum.

Minister Rakušan and his delegation will also visit a civil defence shelter in Helsinki's Merihaka district and the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats.

Inquiries:
Laura Yli-Vakkuri, Director General, tel. +358 40 720 2216, [email protected]
Communications Unit, Ministry of the Interior, [email protected] (requests for interviews with Minister Rantanen)