Finland considering tighter border controls as returning asylum seekers becomes ‘impossible’

Finland’s President Sauli Niinisto spoke at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on the issue of asylum seekers. Following a surge in migrant arrivals to Finland, mainly from Yemen, Somalia, Syria, and Iraq, via Russia, the government faced challenges deporting those who failed to meet asylum criteria. The Finnish President stated that it is now impossible to return such migrants, prompting concerns about controlling the situation. The Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, expressed readiness for further action to address the growing number of asylum seekers if necessary.

The surge in migrant arrivals in Finland prompted the closure of half of the country’s border crossings and led to accusations against Russia of facilitating the migration. Finnish President Niinisto called for a coordinated EU-wide solution to the issue of uncontrollable entry to the Schengen area. The arrival of migrants, which also included those who didn’t originally intend to come to Finland, was attributed to Russian authorities closing the border gates behind them, forcing them to seek asylum in Finland. The Finnish government also faced criticism from the Kremlin, which lodged a formal protest over the border closure, seen as reflecting an anti-Russian stance.

The situation recalls a similar migrant crisis in 2021 when Belarus, a close ally of Russia, was accused of orchestrating a migrant crisis on the borders of Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia by flying in people from the Middle East and Africa. These accusations were also denied by Belarus. The Finnish government is prepared to take swift action if the migrant situation continues to escalate, especially in light of the challenges faced in deporting asylum seekers who do not meet the criteria for protection.

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