Finland tests readiness for potential migrant influx

Finland on Monday launched a major five-day joint preparedness exercise, dubbed LATU 23, to prepare for a potential large influx of migrants into the country, reported Xinhua.

International representatives of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), the European Union Asylum Agency and the Estonian Police and Border Guard participate in the exercise alongside various Finnish government agencies, the Finnish Border Guard said.

In July 2022, Finland's Parliament approved changes to the country's border laws, enabling the authorities to close borders or limit the number of border entry points during exceptional circumstances.

During the 2015 European migrant crisis, approximately 32,000 asylum seekers from the Middle East, Africa and South Asia arrived in Finland, according to Finnish public broadcaster Yle.