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Finland’s cabinet extends closure of checkpoints on Russian border 'until further notice'

In addition, the maritime traffic border crossing points at Haapasaari, the port of Nuijamaa and Santio will be closed on April 15

© Peter Kovalev/TASS

HELSINKI, April 4. /TASS/. The Finnish cabinet of ministers has extended the closure of automobile crossing points on the border with Russia "until further notice," the Government Communications Department said.

"Finland's eastern border to remain closed until further notice," it said in a statement.

In addition, the maritime traffic border crossing points at Haapasaari, the port of Nuijamaa and Santio will be closed on April 15. "The decision will remain in force until further notice, but no longer than is necessary," the statement said.

Finnish media outlets reported earlier that the checkpoints on the border with Russia will be closed until Finland enacts a law instituting temporary measures for combatting so-called weaponized immigration (or situations where migrants are allegedly used as a tool to achieve certain goals), which would allow authorities to deny asylum requests directly at the border. The bill is expected to reach the Finnish parliament in April.

Previously, the Finnish government decided to shut down all automobile checkpoints at the Russian border from November 2023, due to what the Finnish authorities termed a migrant influx.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier that Finland’s decision to shut down border crossing checkpoints will create new dividing lines in Europe, adding that Moscow will formulate its response to such actions within the interagency format.

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