Russia plans to drag refugees from the Middle East and Africa to the Finnish border in order to bring them into the EU. This is intended to create images of desperate people on the Russian side and armed security forces on the other side. This game has already been 2021 at the Belarusian-Polish border played. To prevent this, a new deportation law, the “käännytyslaki”, is to be passed.
In recent years, the Finnish-Russian border has become an important transit route for refugees seeking to reach Europe. The geographical proximity to Russia and the relatively open border have made it easier for people to reach Finnish territory. This placed a significant burden on the Finnish authorities, who were struggling to deal with the large influx of asylum seekers.
The “käännytyslaki” – A radical solution?
Considering the challenges facing Finland, the government has decided to introduce the “käännytyslaki”. This law aims to speed up asylum procedures at the Finnish-Russian border. Instead of having to go through the regular asylum process, asylum seekers are sent back immediately. Similar to pushbacks.
The effects
The planned introduction of the law has led to heated discussions and controversial reactions. Proponents of the law argue that it is necessary. This is the only way to deal with the refugee crisis and protect Finnish society. They emphasize the importance of effective border control and the need to limit the number of asylum seekers.
On the other hand, however, there are also significant concerns about human rights and international law. Critics of the law argue that it violates the right to asylum and the principles of international law. They fear that people who actually seek protection could be turned away without the opportunity for a fair review.
Big challenges
The Finnish government is faced with the challenge of finding a solution that ensures both the protection of human rights and the security of the country. And they don't want to become the target of Russian games designed to distract from the war in Ukraine.
As always, only one group remains unconsidered: the refugees, who end up falling by the wayside as victims of this conflict.
