The construction of barbed-wired fence along Finland's long border with Russia - primarily meant to curb illegal migration - has broken ground near the southeastern town of Imatra less than two weeks after the Nordic country joined NATO as the 31st member of the military alliance.
The Finnish Border Guard on Friday showcased the building of the initial three kilometer stretch of the fence to be erected in Pelkola near a crossing point off Imatra, a quiet lakeside town of some 25,000 people.Construction of the border fence is an initiative by the border guard that was approved by Prime Minister Sanna Marin's government amid wide political support last year.
This is a scenario that Finland - a nation 5.5 million people that officially became a NATO member on April 4 - wants to prevent from repeating itself. The pilot section of the fence is scheduled to be completed by this summer, while the barrier will eventually be extended to a maximum of 200 kilometers . It will cover areas - in bits and pieces of separate length - mainly in southeastern Finland near the main border crossing points with Russia but it will also have sections up in the Arctic north in Lapland.
"Here in Imatra, we're not so afraid about Russians because the border has always been there and it has never been open like between European countries," said Antero Lattu, vice chairman of Imatra City Council. He stressed that locals aren't afraid of Russians "but we're happy because of that fence."
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
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