The radio surveillance permit proposed by the Finnish government will become a new competence of border guards, said Anne Ihanus, legislative advisor to the Finnish Ministry of the Interior, in a comment to the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat on April 19.
A bill presented to the Finnish Parliament on April 18 gives the Finnish Border Guard powers to carry out radio surveillance using modern technology. Radio monitoring implies the right to detect, locate, identify and control radio frequency electromagnetic waves and radio equipment.
“The goal is to determine where the radio frequency electromagnetic waves originate and what type of devices they are.”explains Ihanus.
All wireless devices other than mobile phones use radio waves, such as surveillance cameras or drone control devices. The waves used by the devices tell us about the location, direction and speed of the device’s movement. According to Ihanus, in a first stage it is planned to install radio surveillance equipment on reconnaissance planes and patrol boats of the Border Service.
It is stated that the need to grant new rights is justified by the change in the operating environment. Today, people carry mobile phones, smart watches and other devices that emit radio waves. The government believes detecting these devices is relevant “from a border security perspective.” Determining the location of the device will help border guards determine the necessary actions as accurately as possible.
According to the government proposal, radio surveillance can be carried out near the state border, in the maritime zone, on the sea coast, in the airspace, at the border checkpoint and in its immediate vicinity, as well as in the territory under control. of the border service and in its surroundings. However, radio monitoring should not be used to obtain information on the content of radio messages other than those intended for general reception.
“Surveillance should not identify individuals or determine the content of confidential radio messages.”—Ihanus said.
The extension of control rights will also entail ongoing costs, the amount of which is estimated at approximately €2 million (200 million rubles) from 2025.
Source: Rossa Primavera
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.