Concerns have arisen over Russian real estate holdings close to significant defence sites in Finland. Last week, the Government issued a proposal for tightening related legislation. The Chair of the Swedish Parliamentary Group, Anders Adlercreutz, points out that sites that are not directly linked to defence may also be strategically significant.
“Finland has gradually been tightening its oversight of real estate transactions taking place close to strategic sites.This is not enough, however. It is important in terms of national security that no elements of vital infrastructure are owned by parties whose aims are not in line with our own,” Adlercreutz says.
Adlercreutz points out that Russia is not the only international player with global ambitions and a rule book that differs from Finland’s.
“We have to learn from the mistakes made with Nord Stream. We cannot create dependence on foreign, authoritarian actors,” Adlercreutz says.
“In recent years, China has been buying up ports in Europe and Israel, for example. It would be naïve to chalk these purchases up to free market operations. Today, the Scholz cabinet decided to approve a 24.9 % acquisition of the port of Hamburg by Cosco, which is owned by the Chinese state. This is a concern,” Adlercreutz says.
Adlercreutz calls for action from the European Union.
“The EU must wake up. We are competing on the global market and our infrastructure must be in safe hands. Free trade, as long as it takes place according to clear rules of play, is desirable, but state enterprises run by authoritarian governments are not operators who should be allowed to own important infrastructure in Europe. The EU should step in with cohesive regulation,” Adlercreutz concludes.
