Finland’s parliament has passed a controversial bill granting border guards the power to block asylum seekers crossing from Russia.

Finland has accused neighbouring Russia of weaponising migration by encouraging many people from countries such as Syria and Somalia to cross the border, an assertion the Kremlin has denied.

Helsinki has accused Moscow of promoting the crossings in retaliation for Finland joining NATO, which backs Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.

The right-wing government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has said the bill is vital to stop future arrivals. Opponents, including several academics, legal experts and human rights groups, say it clashes with the Constitution of Finland, international rights commitments set by the United Nations and pledges by the EU and international treaties signed by Finland.

“This is a strong message to Russia, a strong message to our allies, that Finland takes care of its own security, we take care of the security of the EU border,” Orpo told a news conference after the vote on Friday.

More than 1,300 asylum seekers crossed from Russia since the middle of last year, but there had been no new arrivals since March until Thursday.

Most of the people that arrived in 2023 and early this year hail from the Middle East and Africa, including from Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.

‘Don’t go with the smugglers’

The Finnish Border Guard released a statement after the parliament vote saying one person had crossed the border illegally on Thursday and when caught by a border guard, applied for asylum.

Finland shut its land borders with Russia late last year.

Interior Minister Mari Rantanen told the news conference after the bill passed that no decision had been taken on when to re-open the border crossings with Russia.

Finland’s move is similar to steps taken in recent years in other European countries, including Poland and Lithuania, to make it more difficult for asylum seekers to cross the border from Russia and Russia-ally Belarus.

The Finnish bill was passed with 167 votes in favour, 31 against and one abstention. To pass, the proposal needed a two-thirds majority of given votes in the 200-seat parliament.

Lawmakers of the Left Alliance and the Green League were among the 31 who voted against the bill.

Under the new law, pending approval from President Alexander Stubb, Finnish border guards can – under certain circumstances – reject asylum applications at the crossing points. They will not, however, refuse entry to children, disabled people and any asylum seekers deemed by border guards to be in a particularly vulnerable position.

Orpo urged asylum seekers who were considering coming to Europe through Russia not to embark on the journey.

“Don’t go with the smugglers,” he told the news conference. “Finland takes care of its borders. The access to the borders orchestrated by Russia will not lead to access to Finland or Europe.”

Moscow has denied such an intention. The Russian embassy in Helsinki did not immediately reply to a request for comment.