From Sunday to Thursday this week, 1,481 people had crossed the border from Russia to Norway. The vast majority had tourist visas issued by countries in Schengen other than Norway, according to the police. – With increased refugee flows that we have seen from Ukraine, there is always a risk that people with evil intentions can get to Norway under the cover of the refugee flows, says Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl. Finland, along with a number of other European countries, has closed its border to Russians with tourist visas. Looking at the situation The Government has decided to wait, but is ready to do the same at short notice. – We have a different foreign policy assessment than Finland, and must make our own assessments in our country. But we are ready to close the border immediately if necessary, says Mehl to news. Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl introduces increased preparedness at the border between Norway and Russia. Photo: Tore Ellingseter / news According to the government, a closure will increase the risk of illegal border crossings. Instead of closing the border, a strengthening of guarding and preparedness along the border in Sør-Varanger will be introduced. – There have been few arrivals in Norway compared to Finland, and the situation is different here, says Mehl. – Wise approach A police helicopter, with what the government refers to as sensors, will help strengthen preparedness in the area. – The police have good control at Storskog, and now their presence in the border area is also being strengthened outside the border station. The police helicopter is a useful tool for monitoring the border area from the Norwegian side, says Mehl. Deputy chairman of the justice committee, Sveinung Stensland (H), says it is good that the government will strengthen preparedness. Must be followed hour by hour – This seems like a wise approach. We have not advocated closing the border, but to follow the situation all the way, and be ready to take measures if there is an escalation, says Stensland. Sveinung Stensland (H) calls the government’s decision wise. Photo: Siri Vålberg Saugstad / news He says the Conservative Party has asked the government to monitor developments hour by hour in consultation with neighboring countries. – We can hope that the Ministry of Justice has a full overview. I trust that they have information that makes this the correct conclusion now. Must safeguard the Norwegian border Leader of the justice committee, Per-Willy Amundsen (Frp), also specifies that he is sitting on less information than what the Ministry of Justice does. Per-Willy Amundsen (Frp) hopes the government has a good basis for continuing to keep the border open, unlike Finland. Photo: Vidar Ruud / Vidar Ruud – It is very good and very important that you show clear reactions from the Norwegian side. That we have control of the border, control of who moves across the border and that the emergency measures necessary to safeguard the Norwegian border at Storskog with Russia are put in place, says Amundsen. – But unlike Finland, Norway is waiting to close the border. What do you think about it? – I hope and believe that you have a good basis for the assessments you have made when you chose to do it this way, which is different from the measures that Finland has put in place, says Amundsen. Low traffic compared to Finland At Storskog border station, traffic appears lower today than earlier in the week. The Norwegian authorities tightened the possibility of obtaining tourist visas already in May, after a doubling in the number of asylum applications from Russian citizens. – Storskog is our only border station with Russia. We have a close dialogue with the police and customs about developments at the border, and check everyone who arrives carefully, says Mehl. – How should the Norwegian authorities deal with Russian asylum seekers? – Everyone has the right to apply for asylum in Norway. We see that Russia has launched a mobilization and that there is an influx of Russians to Europe. We must follow that situation closely and make assessments in the coming weeks, says Mehl. Guro Brandshaug is the Labor Party’s mayoral candidate in Sør-Varanger. She does not support closing the border. Photo: STIAN STROM / news Warned against closing Locally in the border municipality, many of the residents have formed a ring around Russians escaping from Russia. The Labor Party in Kirkenes has been critical of closing the border. – It is often oppositionists who fear for their lives who want to come here to the country. If we shut them out now, I’m afraid it reinforces Putin’s propaganda story about a West that wants the Russian population to hurt, said Guro Brandshaug in the Sør-Varanger Labor Party to news on Thursday.
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The police are looking for “persons with evil intentions” in the stream of Russians – news Troms and Finnmark
