The Blubber

Finland has announced plans to implement a complete ban on property purchases by certain foreign nationals due to growing security concerns over acquisitions linked to Russia near critical infrastructure.

On Monday, Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen introduced a proposal aimed at preventing Russians from purchasing property in Finland, a Nordic NATO member that shares the longest land border in the bloc with Russia. A draft of the law is expected to be submitted to parliament by the end of the year.

"This is a response to Russia’s war of aggression and the related assessment," Hakkanen said in Helsinki, while noting that the proposal does not explicitly mention Russia by name.

The proposed law would apply to citizens of countries whose homeland has "violated the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of another state, posing a potential threat to Finland’s security." It would also cover legal entities "based in such a country or owned or influenced by a citizen or entity from that state," according to a statement from the government.

Additionally, the government plans to explore "more effective" measures for expropriation and increased oversight of assets "critical to the safety and security of society."

Concerns have grown among Finnish security officials, politicians, and the public over property acquisitions by individuals or entities connected to Russia. Finland, which joined NATO in April of last year, has already introduced legislation allowing the state to intervene in real estate transactions on national security grounds. Several property deals, such as the attempted sale of a former nursing home near a military site, have already been blocked under these laws.

Over the years, reports in Finland have highlighted suspicious property purchases linked to Russia, including fortified sites with helipads, loss-making hotels owned by Russians, and properties near key infrastructure.

In a June interview with Bloomberg News, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo expressed concerns that such properties "could be used for acts of sabotage or serve as a foothold in a larger operation."

The proposal to block Russians from acquiring Finnish properties follows a new law passed less than two months ago that allows Finland to push back migrants sent to its eastern border by Russia as part of the Kremlin’s hybrid warfare tactics. This temporary law is intended to counter what Helsinki views as an attempt by Russia to undermine national security via migration along their 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) shared border.