The Finnish government plans to create registration centres to process asylum applications submitted by people arriving into the country from across the eastern border with Russia.
A press statement released on Friday evening by the Interior Ministry noted that the decision was made at an extraordinary meeting of the government.
"The decision will ensure that people who do not meet the conditions for entry and who have not yet been identified and registered by the authorities will not be able to reside freely in Finland," the statement said.
This means that people applying for asylum at the eastern border will be obliged to stay in a supervised registration centre for the duration of their registration process.
Interior Minister Mari Rantanen of the Finns Party had mooted the idea earlier this week, saying it would provide one way for Finnish authorities to respond to the situation "created by Russia" on the eastern border.
The statement released on Friday added that the Interior Ministry will be responsible for establishing the centres, which are likely to be located in Oulu and Joutseno, as per a previous joint proposal by the Finnish Border Guard, the Finnish Immigration Office Migri and the police.
The ruling will remain in force until 23 December 2023, the statement added, the same date the seven border checkpoints closed over the past seven days are expected to reopen.
This week's All Points North podcast asks why Finland has struggled to close the border, and what its obligations are to those seeking asylum. Listen to the episode via this embedded player, on Yle Areena, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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