Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen prohibits property transactions linked to Russian state actors

Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen announced today that he has prohibited six property transactions involving buyers from outside the EU and EEA. Häkkänen stated that the rejections were influenced by connections to Russian state actors.

The rejected properties are located in various regions, including Lieksa in North Karelia, Imatra in South Karelia, Mikkeli in South Savo, and Kouvola in Kymenlaakso. Officials emphasized the importance of scrutinizing the backgrounds of all applicants in the permit process.

One notable case involved a 61-year-old resident of Belgium who attempted to purchase a property in Imatra for vacation use, falsely claiming to be a Ukrainian citizen. In reality, he is a Russian national with no Ukrainian passport. The Ministry deemed the property unsuitable for recreational use due to its location and potential threat to national security.

Another case involved a company seeking to acquire a property in Kouvola’s industrial area. All three owners of the company were Russian nationals, leading the Ministry to classify it as Russian-owned, despite being registered in Finland. Concerns were raised regarding the potential for Russian owners to exploit the property in a way that could threaten Finnish national security.

Additionally, a 41-year-old Ukrainian individual bought a school building in Mikkeli, claiming it would be used to accommodate berry-pickers. However, the Ministry found this purpose implausible, citing insufficient business activity from the company.

Finally, in Lieksa, transactions involving a Swiss woman seeking to purchase three small properties were also blocked due to the need for a Ministry permit, as Switzerland is not an EU member.