Migrant Tales insight: Without Aleksanterinliitto ry, the opinions of Finland’s Russian-speaking community would not be heard loud enough. According to Alexey Bulvatsev, the closing of the border has hurt families in Finland and Russia and made travel to Russia more difficult. And adds: “According to the petitioner, Finland is likely to be in breach of EU law, firstly because Finland’s entry and transit ban on all Russian citizens entering the EU for tourist purposes is in breach of Article 6, paragraph 1 (e) of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 and Regulation (EU) 2018/1806. Secondly, in view of the petitioner, the closure of the Finnish-Russian border following cases of asylum seekers from third countries crossing the border infringes Article 26 of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 and Article 27 of Directive 2004/38/EC.”
The petition asks the EU to halt Finland’s illegal policy at the Finnish-Russian border.
Alexey Bulavtsev of Alexsanterinliito ry, an association that supports and protects the rights and freedoms of Russian-speaking Finns, has submitted a petition to the European Parliament to protest the closing of the Finnish-Russian border.
Petition Summary
The petitioner refers to the decision of the Finnish government to completely close the Finnish-Russian border in response to the hybrid attack of the Russian Federation on Finland. Bulavtsev alleges that the public has not been informed of any facts that could link the problem of higher than usual number of asylum seekers at the Finnish border to Russia’s presumed hybrid attack on Finland. According to the petitioner, this decision had a negative impact on Finnish families with family ties to the Russian Federation, as it had become difficult for legitimate residents of Finland to travel to Russia. The petitioner alleges that the closure of the land border by the Finnish authorities has a negative impact on the conditions of the inhabitants of the Finnish regions bordering Russia and would damage the economy in eastern Finland. He states that even the postal service between Finland and Russia has been discontinued, which is why the right of Finnish residents to family life guaranteed by Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is limited. According to the petitioner, Finland is likely to be in breach of EU law, firstly because Finland’s entry and transit ban on all Russian citizens entering the EU for tourist purposes is in breach of Article 6, paragraph 1 (e) of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 and Regulation (EU) 2018/1806. Secondly, in view of the petitioner, the closure of the Finnish-Russian border following cases of asylum seekers from third countries crossing the border infringes Article 26 of Regulation (EU) 2016/399 and Article 27 of Directive 2004/38/EC. The petitioner asks the European Commission to issue a regulation to the Finnish government to correct the allegedly illegal acts.