Legislation on Finland’s preparedness to provide and receive international assistance to be reviewed

NordenBladet — The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to review the legislation within the mandate of the Ministry of the Interior concerning the provision and reception of international assistance.In August 2021, Finland sent a Defence Forces unit to Kabul International Airport to protect the people being evacuated from Afghanistan to Finland and to support the civilians carrying out the Finnish evacuation operation. The legislation within the mandate of the Ministry of the Interior will be reviewed to ensure that Finland will be prepared, if necessary, to send public authorities in its branch of government abroad without a request from a foreign state.The authorities of the Ministry of the Interior’s branch of government could be sent abroad to support another Finnish authority in cases such as the evacuation situation in Afghanistan. The tasks of those posted abroad would include protecting and assisting Finnish citizens and bringing them to safety or safeguarding other interests that are very important to Finnish citizens. The principles of international law would always be taken into account when posting authorities.The project will take a broad view in identifying also other situations that fall or may fall within the Ministry’s mandate and the related legislative needs in such situations.   The project term is from 4 March to 31 December 2022.