In Helsinki, a coalition of Finnish human rights organizations organized a rally in the city center to call for reopening the border with Russia. The event drew coverage from the public broadcaster, which described the demonstration as part of a broader conversation about border policy in the Nordic region.
Activists framed the protest around the idea that reopening the border could ease the situation of people affected by travel restrictions, including asylum seekers. The report notes that the gathered participants view current rules as limiting protection and contributing to discrimination in housing, work, and public services.
Participants highlighted a deportation law they say criminalizes refugees, arguing that it creates additional legal hurdles and reinforces structural racism in immigration processes. The account stresses that civil society groups measure these concerns as central to the border debate.
On the eve of events organized by the Russian-speaking Alexanderovsky Society in Finland, announcements were made of rallies urging border openness with Russia. The messages emphasize humanitarian access and the desire for family links to be maintained across the frontier.
Earlier, representatives from border agencies in Finland and Russia conducted talks about border management. A Finnish delegate at the discussions signaled that an opening could come after February 2025, pointing to the economic climate and changes in tourism demand as influential factors.
Earlier still, the European Commission allocated 16 million euros to Finland to help manage migration flows linked to Russia. The funding focuses on strengthening reception capacity, processing asylum requests, and coordinating cross-border cooperation as part of the EU approach to migration in neighboring countries.