HELSINKI (AP) – Norway may erect a fence along part or all of the 198-kilometre (123-mile) border it shares with Russia, a minister has said, which is similar to what Nordic neighbor Finland does. The move was inspired by a similar project.
“Border fences are very interesting because they not only act as a deterrent, but they also have built-in sensors and technology that can detect if people are moving near the border,” said Justice Minister Emily Enger-Mehr. spoke. Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported late Saturday.
He said the Norwegian government was currently considering “several measures” to strengthen security on Russia's border north of the Arctic Circle, including building fences, hiring more border officials and increasing surveillance.
Strskog border station is the only official border point from Russia to Norway, although only a few illegal border crossing attempts have been witnessed in the past few years.
The Norwegian government is prepared to close its borders at short notice if the security situation in the sensitive Arctic region worsens, said Enger Mehr, who visited neighboring Finland this summer. Russia's land borders were closed.
The Finnish government will close all borders from Russia to Finland at the end of 2023 after more than 1,300 third-country migrants without proper documents or visas – an unusually high number – entered the country in a three-month period. urged to close. Member of NATO.
To prevent Moscow from exploiting the migrants in what the Finnish government calls Russia's “hybrid war,” Helsinki now has 204 kilometers (124 miles) of land in separate areas along the border area that forms part of NATO. ) is constructing a fence. It is located in the north and serves as the outer border of the European Union.
Finnish border officials have installed top-of-the-line surveillance equipment, mainly near the border, to better monitor and control migrants attempting to cross from Russia and give authorities time to respond. It states that a fence with a built-in structure is necessary.
Enger Mehr said that, inspired by the Finnish project, such a fence could be a good idea for Norway as well. NRK said her statement was supported by Ellen Catherine Haetta, the police chief in Finnmark county in northern Norway.
Enger Meer said the measures “may relate to all or part of the border” between Norway and Russia.
Strskog border station is currently a 200-meter (660-foot) long, 3.5-meter (12-foot) high border station established in 2016 after around 5,000 migrants and asylum seekers crossed into Norway from Russia a year ago. ) is surrounded by a fence.
