Finland rejects 3 property purchase pleas by Russians

The Ministry of Defence on Tuesday issued three negative permit decisions concerning real estate acquisitions by buyers from outside the EU and EEA, said the ministry in a press release on Thursday.

The negative decisions concern two properties in Ruokolahti and one in Kitee.

Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen signed the decisions.

As to the transactions of real estate in Ruokolahti, one was by private individuals and the other by a company while the transaction in Kitee was by a private individual.

Both the private individuals and actual beneficiaries of the company are Russian citizens.

Negative permit decisions are based on the Act on transfers of real estate requiring special permission.

The Ministry of Defence justified the negative permit decisions by stating, among other things, that the real estate acquisitions in question can be considered to hinder the organisation of national defence or the surveillance and safeguarding of territorial integrity.