Norway ready to close border checkpoint with Russia if needed — minister

Norwegian border guards have not noticed an increase in crossings of the Russian border at the Storskog checkpoint but authorities are ready to close it if necessary, Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl told the NTB news agency, reported from TASS.

"We are keeping a close eye on the situation and it may be current for us to close the border within a short term, if it is needed," Mehl said. "At the moment, we do not see any abnormal traffic at the Storskog. The traffic is low and remained small throughout fall," she noted.

Finnish authorities announced on Thursday that they would close four out of nine checkpoints on the Russian border at night from Friday to Saturday. A large number of asylum seekers on the eastern border was mentioned to be the reason. Norway’s authorities are aware of the situation but such phenomenon was not noticed in the country, Mehl said.

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