Cars coming from Russia wait in lines at the Vaalimaa border check point between Finland and Russia. (AP PHOTO)
Finland will close its border to Russian tourists from midnight local time, which is expected to lead to a significant drop in cross-border traffic, the government says.
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The inflow of Russians is now seen as endangering Finland's international relations, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told a news conference on Thursday.
Entry for family visits, as well as for work and studies, will still be permitted, he added.
The Finnish government, wary of being a transit nation into western Europe's passport-free Schengen zone, on Friday said it planned to halt tourism from Russia and that a decision would be finalised in the days that followed.
Australian Associated Press
