Closer cooperation between Finland and Russia key to combating illegal immigration

On Tuesday evening, Finnish Minister of the Interior Petteri Orpo and Russian Minister of Internal Affairs Vladimir Kolokoltsev discussed how to combat illegal immigration. This was the first time the two Ministers met. At their meeting in Vantaa, the Ministers focussed on enhancing cooperation and exchange of information to prevent illegal immigration and related crime.

During the past few months, approximately a thousand people have come to Finland from Russia without a Schengen visa. Finland wants to tackle this new phenomenon immediately. Most of these people have lived in Russia for a long time. Nevertheless, they have applied for asylum in Finland. Recently, transit to Finland via Russia has also increased.

New forms of cooperation needed

According to Mr Orpo, closer bilateral cooperation has a key role to play in combating illegal immigration.

- Although our eastern border is the external border of the Schengen area, both Finland and Russia will first and foremost seek to resolve matters bilaterally. We have a long and successful tradition of bilateral cooperation.

The Ministers concluded that new forms of cooperation should be agreed. Today, cooperation to combat illegal immigration may be carried out under the existing bilateral agreements – the crime prevention agreement and the agreement concerning the settlement of border incidents. However, it is now time to negotiate another agreement.

Close monitoring of illegal immigration beneficial to both countries

Ministers Orpo and Kolokoltsev said that efforts must be made to closely monitor and manage illegal immigration to the European Union and Russia. The influx of migrants resulting from conflicts in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Somalia is exploited by criminals who try to control these migrants and profit from the situation.

The Ministers concluded that the situation is serious and that they are determined to reach a common solution; in particular, any elements of organised crime and terrorism involved in migration must be identified and tackled.

In addition, the existing forms of cooperation should be used more effectively. The Ministers considered that the cross-sectoral working group of law enforcement authorities should convene without delay to discuss illegal immigration and other current issues in the field of combating crime. Furthermore, a task force operating under the Council of the Baltic Sea States could be used as a forum to discuss migration affairs.

The next opportunity to continue these discussions will be at the meeting between Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in St. Petersburg on Friday. Bilateral negotiations between public officials will continue in February.

Inquiries:
Ms Päivi Nerg, Permanent Secretary, tel. +358 50 456 1012, firstname.lastname@intermin.fi
Mr Mikko Kortelainen, Special Adviser, tel. +358 50 456 8334, firstname.lastname@intermin.fi