HELSINKI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th August, 2022) Finnish border guard regional chief and his Russian counterpart met on Thursday to discuss a range of issues concerning cross-border cooperation, Finnish state-owned broadcaster YLE reported.
Southeastern Finland border guard district commander Colonel Vesa Blomqvist and his Russian counterpart, whose name was not disclosed, discussed the issues affecting crossborder cooperation including illegal border crossing at the Nuijamaa checkpoint (Brusnichnoye) during their first in-person meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Europe, according to the broadcaster.
The meeting was held in the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding, Blomqvist said, adding that the parties have already found solutions to most issues, YLE reported.
Cases related to illegal border crossing, the state of border signs, as well as issues concerning checkpoints, sea and land borders of the two countries were also discussed, according to the broadcaster.
Blomqvist commended Russian border guards' efforts on detaining hundreds of people who were suspected of trying to illegally enter Finland this year, the report said.
According to Blomqvist, both agencies were in close contacts via phone calls during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both Russian and Finnish authorities restricted movement across the land border as part of measures to head off the spread of the coronavirus. The border has remained closed to tourists since March 2020.
