Finland plans to expand police powers regarding drones
On September 15, the Finnish government submitted a bill to parliament. The bill calls for expanding the police’s authority to intercept drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles.
The Ministry of the Interior noted that unmanned technologies are playing an increasingly important role in modern security systems. While they are used for legitimate purposes, they can also be employed for criminal activities, such as damaging critical infrastructure, obstructing the work of government agencies, or infringing on privacy.
Current legislation already allows the police to intercept unmanned aerial vehicles. The new proposal calls for expanding these powers to all types of unmanned vehicles—regardless of whether they are moving in the air, on land, on the water’s surface, or underwater.
According to the ministry, approved methods for intercepting UAVs will include “technical means, the use of force, and firearms.”
In addition, the bill expands the Finnish Armed Forces’ ability to assist the police in intercepting drones. The ministry stated that the legislation should take effect as soon as possible.
This was reported by the Finnish broadcaster Yle.
We should add that Finland has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth €290 million.
In western Germany, 39% of those surveyed consider arms deliveries to Ukraine excessive, while in the east of the country, 54% of respondents share this view.
As a reminder, 44.8% of Polish citizens believe that the military aid provided to Ukraine after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion was too much.
Earlier, Polish presidential spokesman Rafal Leskiewicz criticized the decision by Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz to declassify information about the military aid Poland provided to Ukraine between 2022 and 2026.
