Finnish parliament approves border 'push back' bill

Helsinki, July 12 (IANS) The Finnish parliament approved a bill on Friday that empowers Finnish border guards to reject border crossers in case of a significant influx of potential asylum seekers.

Based on the discretion of the border guards, not all individuals attempting to enter Finland would have access to the asylum application process.

The "push back" bill was approved with 167 votes in favor, 31 against and one abstention, reports Xinhua news agency.

Due to its departure from Finnish constitutional principles and international obligations, the approval of the bill in parliament required a 5/6 majority.

"A rule-of-law country must have the right to protect itself," Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said, noting that the large majority reflected the unanimity among the Finnish people on security issues.

He said Finland will work towards a European-level legislative solution to address "instrumentalized immigration."

The parliamentary vote followed intense political debate and consternation within the political landscape. Among the government parties, the Conservatives, the Finns Party, and the small Christian Democratic Party supported the bill, while the Swedish People's Party was divided. In the opposition, the Center Party supported the bill, whereas the Greens and the Left Alliance opposed it, and the Social Democrats were also divided.

Supporters of the bill acknowledged its incompatibility with the basic principles of the constitution but maintained that the legislation would be necessary to address potential national security concerns. Its opponents, however, warned that the temporary departure from Finnish and EU laws could set a precedent and potentially undermine the rule of law in Finland. They argued that there are alternative ways to safeguard the country's security.

The border between Finland and Russia has been closed since late last year, except for freight railroads.

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