Foreign Ministry of Finland suspended the work of the consulate in Petrozavodsk

The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs suspended the work of the consulate in Petrozavodsk, according to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As the department clarifies, Finland does not need to support the department in Petrozavodsk, since "a significant reduction has occurred in its main functions." The Foreign Ministry admits that in the future the work of the consulate will be resumed. In January 2023, for a similar reason, the consulate department in Murmansk was closed.

The department in Petrozavodsk was subordinated to the Consount of General in St. Petersburg, it will still work. The Petrozavodsk branch of the Consulate General was established in 1990.

Since September 2022, Finland, like many other European countries, has reduced the issuance of visas for Russians. From this moment on, the representative office of Finland is considering only 100 applications for tourist visas from all over Russia on the day. Another 400 slots per day will be reserved for those who apply for a visa for other reasons: for work, study, for family reasons.

On the night of September 30, Finland closed the border for Russians with tourist visas, with the exception of those who go to relatives or for treatment. Similar tough entry restrictions for Russians were introduced by Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia.

Until the military invasion of Russia in Ukraine, Finland did not support the idea of joining NATO and adhered to many years of neutrality policy. But later, the country, together with Sweden, applied for joining the military alliance, on April 4, Finland entered NATO.