Finland blocks Russian citizens from buying an undeveloped site
A new law that passed a couple of months ago has made this possible, and it has already been used several times.
Ever since Russia started its war against Ukraine, the rest of Europe has become increasingly cautious in its attitude towards the nation. This is particularly evident in a country such as Finland, which shares an extremely long border with Russia.
Now, Hufvudstadsbladet reports that the Finnish Ministry of Defense is halting the purchase of an undeveloped archipelago plot in the country, outside the city of Turku. The reason is that two of the three buyers were Russian citizens. The law that makes this possible was passed as recently as this summer and states that Russian citizens (effectively speaking, the law more specifically refers to citizens and companies in countries that wage wars of aggression and threaten Finland) are prohibited from purchasing such properties.
The site is considered to be "close to important shipping lanes," and the decision also highlights "the overall importance of the site for vital functions of society." This is the eleventh purchase to be blocked on these grounds.