Russia condemns Finland’s plan to speed confiscation of Russian real estate

Russia’s foreign ministry on Thursday criticised a Finnish government plan to speed the confiscation of Russian-owned real estate in Finland, warning the Nordic country of countermeasures.
Many Russian owners of apartments and holiday homes in Finland have struggled to pay their expenses and taxes due to the European Union’s banking and payment sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine last year.
Finnish Justice Minister Leena Meri said on Monday that unpaid maintenance bills and expenses were causing problems at Finnish condominiums where homeowners share liability for joint expenses.
Ousting Russian owners over unpaid bills is not currently legal if an official notification threatening confiscation cannot be delivered to them, Meri said. The Finnish government therefore plans to ease its rules on notifications.