Finland’s Ministerial Committee on EU affairs does not support EU’s joint deposit guarantee scheme in the current form. The European Commission made a proposal on the issue in November, Helsingin Sanomat writes. Finland has objected to the idea right from the beginning, similarly to Germany. The joint system would strengthen the EU bank system as a whole but it could increase the bank sector risks in countries which have taken care of their duties. The Federation of Finnish Financial Services has strongly objected to the system; it does not want to increase European joint liability.
Catégorie : Presse Finlandaise
Sipilä: Finland could introduce a bigger refugee quota
Finland’s Prime Minister Juha Sipilä says that the uncontrollable refugee crisis must be taken under control and European borders must be fixed. This year, Finland receives 600 Syrians from Turkish refugee camps. PM Sipilä also suggests Finland could increase its refugee quota temporarily, Helsingin Sanomat writes. According to PM Sipilä, this could be done once the uncontrollable wave of refugees is under control and Schengen’s outer borders are functioning as they should. Minister of the Interior Petteri Orpo agrees with PM Sipilä. He says that if the situation improves, all European countries must increase their quotas, Finland among them.
Minister Soini on President’s speech: Justified concern
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini thinks that President Sauli Niinistö’s speech at the Finnish Parliament’s opening ceremony reflected his concern for the international situation. What comes to international agreements, Mr Soini believes President Niinistö respects them. « He is concerned over the Dublin agreement and the EU’s systems. His concern is justified, because there are countries which have not been able to follow the EU’s regulations, » he adds. Minister Soini emphasises that extensive EU collaboration is needed to solve the refugee crisis. The external borders must be fixed, he says.
Media: MTV – Finland
Date: 5.2.2016
Journalist: STT
President Niinistö clarifies speech at YLE
President Saul Niinistö has explained his speech about the refugee crisis at YLE. He did not mean that Finland would be breaching international refugee agreements. The President said he was concerned over the fact that many European countries are talking about diverse means to reduce the number of migrants, but nobody directly says if these measures are in line with international agreements. According to President Niinistö, the EU’s external borders should be fixed and people should be helped safely to the EU. Help should also be offered in their countries of origin.
Media: Helsingin Sanomat
Date: 5.2.2016
Journalist: Suvi Vihavainen
Competing offer from China on Terex
Several Finnish media report on the Bloomberg news, according to which Terex, which is to merge with the Finnish materials handling company Konecranes, has received a competing offer from Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science and Technology. Later Terex confirmed the offer.
Media: Arvopaperi , Kauppalehti , Kauppalehti , Kauppalehti , Kauppalehti (E-edition, PDF) , Talouselämä, Taloussanomat, Taloussanomat, Taloussanomat
Date: 27.1.2016
Journalist: –
Main source: –
TVO objects to France’s Areva plans: « Would jeopardise Olkiluoto »
The Board Chairman of Teollisuuden Voima, Lauri Virkkunen, is concerned over EDF’s plans to take responsibility over Areva’s nuclear reactor business without the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant project. EDF is to announce its plans on Wednesday. According to Virkkunen, merging EDF and Areva’s nuclear reactor business without Olkiluoto would separate the construction agreement and the funds needed for it. « If responsibilities in the project become more complicated, the completion of the project could be at risk. » Virkkunen compares the project to a marriage from which you cannot divorce. It is important that both parties understand this. Olkiluoto 3 is nine years late and it has cost billions more than planned. Teollisuuden Voima demands billions in compensation from Areva for the delay.
Eleven EU countries notified for debt – Finland included
The European Commission points out in a report that the sustainability of eleven EU member states’ public economy will be put to a test in the long term. Finland is among these countries, Taloussanomat reports. This is based on the estimate that the debts of these countries will remain high for the next ten years. The Commission is to publish policy recommendations later. At the moment, there are no acute risks related to any member states’ financing position. Cyprus and Greece were not included in the report.
Media: Taloussanomat
Date: 25.1.2016
Journalist: –
Main source: –
Finland seeks bilateral agreement with Russia on immigration
Verkkouutiset reports that Finnish Minister of the Interior Petteri Orpo met with his Russian colleague Vladimir Kolokoltsev on Tuesday to discuss decreasing illegal immigration on the Finnish-Russian border. Mr Orpo said Finland would like to make a bilateral agreement with Russia, even though Finland is an EU member state and part of the Schengen area. The issue should not be turned into a major political question. Mr Orpo noted that the EU and Russia have an agreement on readmission. The Finnish officials will now look into how the agreement is interpreted.
Media: Verkkouutiset
Date: 27.1.2016
Journalist: Ilkka Luukkonen