Official press releases, news and speeches that the minister has held are located in this section. The Ministry of Defence publishes all of its press releases and news in Finnish and Swedish and many of them in English, too.
Press Releases
Working group to assess possibility of total ban on acquisition of real estate by Russian citizens
Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen appointed a cross-administrative working group. Its task is to assess the possibility of a total ban on acquisition of real estate by Russian citizens and Russian communities and to prepare related legislation.
- Russia is waging a war of aggression in Europe and has demonstrated its readiness to exploit various soft points it finds in Western societies. For example, border security, critical infrastructure and real estate ownership must be protected in advance in such a way that societies cannot be undermined through them. We cannot afford a gullible attitude, Minister Häkkänen says.
Legislation on real estate acquisitions by parties outside the EU and the EEA was developed during the previous parliamentary term, but changes in the security situation and situational picture require further restrictions. Häkkänen says that a total ban is needed against Russians buying real estate.
- We know that Russia can try to use real estate ownership for certain attempts to exert influence. It is difficult to control and assess in advance what kind of ownerships may cause problems. This is why we start with a total ban, which will include exceptions necessary in legislative drafting. As the working group makes progress, we will see in what form the bill can be taken forward, Häkkänen says.
The objectives of the Government Programme include sufficient regulation on the acquisition and possession of real estate by parties outside the EU and the EEA. The Government will examine possibilities to engage in more effective ex post facto intervention and control in respect of assets central to the security of society and security of supply.
The project is based on the increasingly tense security situation caused by Russia's illegal war of aggression in Ukraine. The entry restrictions that entered into force on 30 September 2022 were increasingly tightened in summer 2023, and this has actually stopped real estate transactions carried out by ordinary Russian citizens across the border. The still ongoing transactions have meant increasing investigative efforts of the Ministry of Defence.
Inquiries: Senior Officer for Legal Affairs Kosti Honkanen, Chair of the working group, tel. +358 295 140 607, firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi, and Specialist Joonas Laito, Vice-Chair of the working group, tel. +358 295 140 071 firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi.