Its Border With Russia Stretches Along 1,300 Kilometers, Finland Will Build A Barrier

Illustration of Finland's border crossing with Russia. (Wikimedia Commons/Alexey Ivanov)

JAKARTA - The Finnish government announced plans to amend its border law, to allow the construction of a barrier on the border with Russia in the east, on Thursday.

In addition, the move is seen as an effort to strengthen preparedness against hybrid threats amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Finland, which is currently applying for membership in NATO's Western military alliance (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), has a history of war with Russia.

However, currently the forest-covered border zone between the two countries is only marked with plastic markings and lines for most of the 1,300 km. (810 miles) in length.

The Finnish government has rushed to strengthen border security, fearing Russia could try to pressure Finland by sending asylum seekers to its borders.

This move is similar to what the European Union did to Belarus at the end of last year, when hundreds of migrants from the Middle East, Afghanistan and Africa were stuck at the Polish border.

The government's amendments to the law include a proposal to allow centralized acceptance of asylum applications, only at certain entry points.

Under existing EU rules, migrants have the right to apply for asylum at any particular point of entry into an EU member state.

The amendments will also allow the construction of barriers such as fences, as well as new roads to facilitate border patrols on the Finnish side.

"Later on, the government will decide on a border delimiter to a critical zone on the eastern border, based on the assessment of the Finnish Border Guard," Interior Minister Krista Mikkonen said in a statement.