The three buyers were Israelis, two of them with Russian citizenship as well, reports Hufvudstadsbladet.
The object in question is a vacant plot in Houtskär, located between Turku and Åland, and according to the deed of sale, the purchase price was 100,000 euros.
But Finland's Ministry of Defence is stopping the deal with the support of a legislative tightening that came into force last summer. The law means that citizens and companies from countries that engage in aggressive warfare and may pose a threat to Finland, and lack a permanent residence permit, are prohibited from buying real estate.
The Ministry notes, among other things, that the trio of buyers states that the plot will be used for both permanent residence and commercial activities, plans described as "unreliable and unclear".
The most significant reason, however, was the plot's geographical location: "the property's location near important shipping lanes", writes the Ministry in its decision, where it also emphasizes "the place's overall importance for the community's vital functions".
In total, eleven real estate transactions have been stopped by the Finnish Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen, citing the stricter law.
Real estate is an avenue for hybrid influence. That's why we stop such real estate transactions that we assess as threatening national security, supply readiness and possibly hindering defence, says Häkkänen to the newspaper.
