Sovauto is preparing to resume bus services from St. Petersburg to Helsinki
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that checkpoints on the border with the Russian Federation will be opened in stages if the situation normalizes.
“Finland will be ready to gradually open a checkpoint on the Finnish-Russian border if the situation normalizes,” the Finnish news agency STT quoted her as saying on Monday.
Valtonen noted that the situation on the eastern border is peaceful in itself, even though there are still people in the border area.
The Foreign Minister said that “the situation on the border is monitored daily, and the most important thing is to respond decisively to Russia’s actions.”
Valtonen did not tell what decisions the government intends to make, but it is expected that decisions on the opening hours of border posts will be made no later than December 13.
In November, the Finnish government decided to close all eight passenger crossings on the eastern border, citing the mass admission of emigrants from third countries to the Finnish border organized by the Russian side.
Only the Vainikkala border station remains open, which is intended for railway communication between Finland and Russia.
Sovavto bus carrier (JSC Sovavto-S.St. Petersburg”, St. Petersburg) is preparing to resume flights on the route St. Petersburg – Helsinki (Finland) against the background of information about the possible opening of international automobile crossings on the Russian—Finnish border, the press service of the carrier reports.
In particular, the car carrier opened the sale of tickets for the flight on December 14 at 07:45 from St. Petersburg to Helsinki and at 16:00 from Helsinki to St. Petersburg.
Sovauto was founded in 1963, carries passengers on the routes St. Petersburg — Helsinki and St. Petersburg — Lappeenranta.
Earlier, the deputy commander of the border service of Southeastern Finland, Heikki Ahtiainen, stated in the media that international road crossings on the border with Russia will be opened on December 14.
