New legislative project to be launched to combat instrumentalised migration

The Ministry of the Interior will set up a legislative project to combat instrumentalised migration and to bolster border security. The term of the project is from 19 February to 31 March 2024. The aim is for a government proposal to be submitted to Parliament in March 2024.

The project will prepare legislative amendments that will help strengthen border security and effectively combat any attempts to put pressure on Finland in the form of instrumentalised migration. Legislation will be amended to protect Finland against threats to its national security.

Finland must be prepared for the possibility that Russia will exert prolonged pressure on Finland and that we will see more serious and larger-scale instrumentalised migration.

The amended legislation would be used as a last resort in preparing for the most serious situations. Otherwise, we will work within the framework of legislation in force. This will ensure that the authorities are able to address the most serious incidents of instrumentalised migration.

The preparation will examine the possibility of enacting provisions on the matter using the procedure for constitutional legislation.

The project working group is chaired by Sanna Palo, Chief of Legal Division from the Border Guard Department of the Ministry of the Interior.

Tensions in the security environment in Europe and Finland's neighbouring regions are reflected in the security of Finland's eastern border. Since autumn 2023, Finland has been faced with a situation of instrumentalisation of migrants. This is one of Russia's means of attempting to influence Finland's national security and internal order.

So far, the Government has responded to these attempts using the measures laid down in section 16 of the Border Guard Act. On 8 February, the Government decided that the border crossing points on the eastern border remain closed and the submission of applications for international protection continue to be centralised at other locations than the crossing points on the eastern border until 14 April 2024.

Inquiries:
Sanna Palo, Chief of Legal Division, Border Guard Department, Ministry of the Interior, tel. +358 295 421601