Summary:
Ilta-Sanomat writes that the Secretary General of Nato Jens Stoltenberg underlined the importance of Finland in developing Nato’s relations with Russia. Mr Stoltenberg attended the opening ceremony of European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki with EU Foreign Affairs High Representative Federica Mogherini and Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö. Both Ms Mogherini and Mr Stoltenberg considered the Centre as an example of the cooperation between EU and Nato. President Niinistö said that the presence of Ms Mogherini and Mr Stoltenberg showed that EU and Nato are committed to countering common threats.

Media:  Ilta-Sanomat
Date: 3.10.2017
Journalist: Hanna Vesala
Main source: –

Summary:
According to the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK), the sustainability criteria of solid biomass is a significant threat to Finland’s forestry industry and agriculture. As a part of its renewable energy directive RED II, the Committee for Environment of the European Parliament would classify various peat energy sources as non-renewable. MTK considers that the criteria should also allow the production of bioenergy with raw materials produced in sustainably nurtured peat forests and fields. The EU Parliament’s Environment Committee is expected to vote on the sustainability criteria in the end of this month.

Summary:
Helsingin Sanomat reports that as Prime Ministers Juha Sipilä and Dmitri Medvedev met in St Petersburg on Thursday, a question on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline provoked Mr Medvedev to praise Finland and to denounce the European Commission and the United States. Mr Medvedev thanked Finland for a practical and constructive position on the project, but predicted that the Commission’s stance will not be as practical. According to him, the EU is politicising the project, and the US is pressuring the EU as the current administration and the Congress are trying to create conditions for US gas production in Europe.