Finland plans legal changes allowing the confiscation of apartments from Russians failing to pay dues, states Markus Tervonen, an advisor to the Finnish Minister of Justice.
It's noted that in Southeastern and Eastern Finland, around 1000 housing associations face serious issues as Russian apartment owners cannot transfer membership fees and other payments. Journalists write that several residential complexes may declare bankruptcy or risk losing heating, electricity, and water.
However, Finnish legislation indicates that a cooperative can take over the housing and rent it out if the owner fails to pay bills, but this requires sending a written warning to the owner first. However, in the case of Russian owners, this is impossible due to sanctions, as notifications cannot be sent to Russia.
Therefore, a bill will soon be introduced to the Finnish Parliament, allowing warnings to be published online instead of being sent by mail.
"We are trying to ensure that the owner receives information on this matter in any case," Tervonen said.
Talks about confiscating property from Russians in Finland are not new
Previously, the idea was supported by the Finnish Minister of Justice, Leena Meri. Last year, she stated that the Finnish government aims to facilitate the confiscation of apartments owned by Russians.
At that time, the official stated that a legal resolution to this issue was planned for mid-2024.