Finland to ban property purchases by Russian citizens over security concerns

The Finnish government has submitted a bill to parliament aimed at restricting property purchases by Russian citizens, according to the country’s Ministry of Defence.

Under the proposed legislation, permission to acquire property will not be granted to citizens of countries that Finland considers to be “engaged in aggressive wars and posing a threat to Finland’s national security,” Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“This bill places restrictions on property transactions for Russians,” said Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen.

The move comes amid heightened tensions between Helsinki and Moscow, following Finland’s accession to NATO last year. The Finnish government has cited security concerns as the primary reason for introducing the new restrictions.

If passed, the legislation would further tighten Finland’s policies on foreign property ownership, which have already been subject to increased scrutiny in recent years.

By Aghakazim Guliyev