Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) does not see any signs of changes in Russia’s behaviour that would enable the re-opening of the border between the two countries, at least in the near future.
"At the moment, I still do not see any opportunities to re-open it," he told the tabloid Iltalehti when asked about the possible re-opening of border crossing stations on the eastern border.
In the interview, Orpo expressed scepticism that Moscow would not use the border to pursue its own interests.
"We would need assurance that Russia is ready to cooperate based on the previous model, where both countries ensured that only people with valid travel documents arrived at border stations," the premier said.
"If it leads to the same kind of chaos that we saw at the turn of the year, when the border crossing was momentarily opened, then it cannot be allowed to happen," Orpo added.
The PM expressed satisfaction that Parliament last month approved a new border security law that allows authorities to limit the acceptance of applications for international protection under certain conditions.
After a bitter debate, the law – which required a supermajority to pass on an urgent basis – eventually gained enough support across government-opposition lines to pass on 12 July, just before MPs began their summer recess.
Finland seeks EU-wide legislation
Orpo said that Finland is urging the new European Commission to present legislation to tackle so-called instrumentalised immigration throughout the EU.
Poland has also been dealing with what it says is a form of Moscow-backed hybrid warfare on its border with Belarus since 2021, when large numbers of migrants started trying to cross illegally.
Both Warsaw and the EU say Belarus and its ally Russia have been orchestrating the crisis by flying in migrants from the Middle East and Africa.
On Friday, the Polish Parliament approved a law making it easier for security services to use weapons against migrants on the Belarus border, legislation that has public support but that critics argue infringes human rights, Reuters reports.
