TEXT: TIINA KOMI All quiet on the eastern border The Southeast Finland Border Guard prepared for a busy summer, but they were surprised by nothing happening. It has been quiet on the eastern border thus far. The situation can change rapidly, however. It is difficult to anticipate the future. A border patrol was checking the integrity of the national border when they noticed a man walking towards Finland from the Russian side of the border. He was scared by the border patrol dog and sat down in the border clearing. The man spoke neither Finnish nor Russian. The Russian border authorities retrieved the Afghani man who was trying to get into a Western country. The cooperation between the Finnish and Russian border authorities has been func-tioning well for decades. The approximately 1,200 asylum seekers attempting to gain entry into Finland over the eastern border in November-February of last winter via the Raja-Jooseppi and Salla border stations were a small blemish. Even at that time, it was quiet with regard to illegal immigration at the border check stations of the SEFBG. – The summer was quiet on the eastern border. It surprised us that nothing hap-pened, says Ismo Kurki, commander of the SEFBG. On the cusp of summer, the border sta-tions and the overland border saw prepa-rations for an increase in illegal immigra-tion. However, it was quiet on the border, although there is pressure behind it. – People try to cross the eastern border illegally, but the Russian border authorities are vigilant and mostly stop them on their side of the border. Maintaining a quiet situation on the bor-der is something to strive for in the future, too. However, according to Kurki, it is dif-ficult to foresee the future. – Just three years ago, the future was looking stable. Today, it is difficult to antici-pate whether, for example, the Russians have enough border control capacity to stop the human waves departing coun-tries in crisis, if there is a great increase in the number of people attempting to get through Russia into Finland illegally, and thereafter into other EU countries. Smooth or secure? 75 per cent of crossings between Finland and Russia occur at Southeastern crossing points – through Vaalimaa, Vainikkala, Nui-jamaa and Imatra. This has been the case since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. 2013 was the peak year of activity at the border. Eastern border traffic increased by eight per cent. Passenger traffic reached almost 13 million passengers. Russian day visitors and tourists were eagerly travelling into Finland. In 2014, the exchange rate of the ruble decreased. The price of crude oil and the EU sanctions on Russia impacted the exchange rate. The economic growth of Russia slowed down. The number of border cross-ings decreased by 12 per cent compared to the previous year. – This was impossible to foresee in advance. The objective at the border check sta-tions is smooth and secure border traffic. RAJAMME VARTIJAT 61
Rajamme Vartijat 3-2016
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