Visit from a border guard The residents of the border region are an important source of information for the border guards. This is a form of coopera-tion they wish to nurture. This year, border guards are ’making visits’ to the residents. The intention of the border guards is not to waltz into their houses, but rather to just exchange a word or two when encounter-ing the residents. Small leaflets commis-sioned by the SEFBG contain instructions for various situations, such as where to report people moving illegally around the border. – The relationship with the locals has changed from the days when the border guards lived at the border. We want to make our work familiar and keep the con-tact threshold low. The Russian side of the border is an uninhabited wilderness, so nothing much happens there. Traditional military national defence is also among the SEFBG's duties. In recent years, preparedness has been developed in case something happens. – Because the predictability on the east-ern border has significantly decreased, we must keep Finland's border control at a high level. We cannot allow the control of the EU's external border and Finland's national border to solely rely on the good will of Russia, commander Kurki says. Southeast Finland Border Guard in brief The Southeast Finland Border Guard is responsible for border checks at its border crossing points in Vaalimaa, Vainikkala, Nuijamaa and Imatra, and for border control in Southeast Finland over a stretch of 200 kilometres. Crime prevention efforts focus on international border crossing points and their immediate vicinity. Border checks aim to prevent illegal immigration. The preconditions of entry into and exit from the country are checked for all passengers. The overland border is controlled by border patrols. Some of it is under technical surveillance. The SEFBG includes the Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Pelkola and Kolmikanta border guard stations. 450 persons work at the border crossing points, while 150 patrol the overland border. RAJAMME VARTIJAT 63
Rajamme Vartijat 3-2016
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