Govt moves to extend validity of controversial deportation law

The four-party alliance government led by conservative Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) has taken an initiative to extend the validity of the 'Border Security Act' or the so-called controversial deportation law to combat instrumentalised migration.

The Finnish Ministry of the Interior has sent out a proposal for comment to extend the validity of the Act on Temporary Measures to Combat Instrumentalised Migration until December 31, 2026, said the ministry in a press release on Thursday.

The deadline for submitting comments is March 6. No changes are proposed to the content of the act.

The government aims to submit the legislative proposal to Parliament in March 2025 and the proposed act should enter into force by July 22, 2025 at the latest.

"While the threat of instrumentalised migration at Finland's eastern border remains high for the time being and the security situation at the border is tense, it is nevertheless stable. However, we must prepare for the possibility that the situation may change rapidly and seriously,” said Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

"By extending the validity of the Border Security Act, we will ensure that border authorities have sufficient powers to act preventively and effectively if the situation changes," Rantanen added.

Finland’s eastern border is the longest external border that both the EU and NATO have with Russia.

The Border Security Act entered into force on 22 July 2024 and will remain in force for one year.

It lays down the conditions under which Finland can decide to restrict the reception of applications for international protection in a limited area on Finland’s national border and in its immediate vicinity.

The purpose of the act is to prevent foreign states from exerting influence on Finland through the instrumentalisation of migrants.

Earlier on July 16, 2024 the President approved the law, which was passed by the parliament on July 12, 2024.

The government on May 21, 2024 submitted a proposal to Parliament for an act on temporary measures to combat instrumentalised migration.

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on May 22, 2024 criticized the government´s move to enact a new law on deportation.