MOSCOW, November 17. Residents of Finland collected more than five thousand signatures against the closure of the border with Russia, the corresponding petition was posted on the website Adressit.com.
“»The government's decision to completely close border traffic between Finland and Russia is contrary to human rights. I demand that the law be changed, because it breaks family ties. Many have close relatives on both sides of the border,» writes Petri Mattinen, who published the petition.
Some of the signatories noted that the introduced restriction makes it impossible to see relatives and visit elderly parents and grandchildren.
Earlier, the Finnish authorities decided to close four of the eight checkpoints on the border with Russia. They will be phased out until February 18, 2024. The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic, Marie Rantanen, for her part, emphasized that if necessary, the authorities are ready to take even more drastic measures.
For Russians, the inability to enter Finland can lead to a massive seizure of real estate. Thus, the Finnish government plans to legislatively allow until 2027 to take away property from owners who cannot be contacted or who have late payments. Paying bills and taxes has become almost impossible after the tightening of entry restrictions; making bank payments from Russia under sanctions is also extremely difficult.