Finland Times

 

President Sauli Niinistö (left) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin at a meeting at the Novo Ogorjavo residence of Russian President in Moscow on Tuesday. Photo – Lehtikuva.

President Sauli Niinistö and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday agreed to impose temporary restrictions at two border crossing points between Finland and Russia to check refugee influx.

 

At a joint press conference following a meeting in Moscow the presidents said they had discussed various issues including trade relations and border cooperation.

 

Putin said they had agreed on border traffic restrictions at the Ivalo and Salla border crossings.

 

“I want to tell you that today we have finally agreed on temporary restrictions at two border crossing points between Finland and Russia, at Salla and Lotta (Raja-Jooseppi),” Putin told the press conference.

 

He said the restrictions are only applicable to third-country nationals, not citizens of Finland or Russia. 

 

The restrictions will be implemented in such a way that only the citizens of Finland, Russia and Belarus will be able to pass through the borders. The restriction will last for 180 days.

 

Putin said he also considers very important the agreement signed on Tuesday between the Russian Federation Immigration Service and the Finnish Ministry of the Interior aimed at exchanging information between the two authorities.

 

Niinistö thanked Putin for the open and interesting debate held at President Putin’s residence in Novo-Ogaryovo. The Finnish president seemed particularly pleased with the achievement of the border agreement. “Finland is very pleased that you have taken our wishes into consideration,” Niinistö told Putin, adding, “That agreement on exchange of information which you referred to is also in many ways important, not the least in the sense that information is of great importance in combating instability.”