STOCKHOLM, September 15. /TASS/. Finland does not intend to seize cars with Russian license plates which are already on its territory from their owners, but demands that they be removed by March 16, 2024, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said at a press conference broadcast on the ministry's website.
"Finland confiscates goods that have fallen under sanctions only in connection with criminal proceedings; at this point, we do not see this changing," the foreign minister said. Valtonen added that cars with Russian license plates must be removed from the country by March 16, 2024. She did not specify what would happen to Russian-registered cars that were not be removed from Finnish territory before this deadline.
Earlier, Valtonen announced a ban on Russian-registered passenger cars entering Finland from midnight on September 16. The restriction will not apply to cars of Russian diplomats and Russians intending to enter the country for humanitarian reasons.
According to the explanation, provided by the European Commission on September 8, the import of goods listed in EU Directive 833/2014 from Russia to the EU, regardless of the intended purpose, is prohibited - this includes cars with a total number of seats less than 10. The European Commission underscored that it makes no difference whether the vehicles are intended for private or commercial use. The list includes a wide array of goods, from cell phones and recording devices to briefcases, clothes, toothpaste, shampoo and other hygienic supplies.