Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini wants to send asylum seekers a message through social media that they should not come to Finland on false grounds. He got the idea from his Norwegian colleague. Minister Soini visited Tromsø and also met with his Slovakian colleague. He says they were both concerned by the Schengen area borders. According to Soini, also the Finnish border control on the external border must be efficient. He points out that all those who are not entitled to an asylum are returned.

Media:  Aamulehti + liitteet (E-edition, PDF) 

Date: 26.1.2016

Journalist: Mirja Niemitalo

Sonera’s mobile network suffered from severe problems this week: half of phone calls and a third of SMS messages failed. Also data connections had problems. The problem was encountered all around the country.

Media:  Ilta-Sanomat + teemalehdet (E-edition, PDF) 

Date: 20.1.2016

Journalist: –

Main source: –

Minister of the Interior Petteri Orpo finds it clear that the Dublin regulation must be changed and revamped. He does not believe that the regulation will be abolished. He finds it essential that the EU’s external border control is fixed and that refugees are registered in the country they arrive in. Firstly, he would focus on fixing the situation in Greece and then making an agreement with Turkey. Foreign Affairs Minister Timo Soini said that Finland stands behind the Dublin regulation. Päivi Nerg of the Ministry of the Interior says that Finland hopes that the EU can agree on a common, sensible migration policy.

Finnish companies try to get their share of the opening markets in Iran. The country needs international investments and knowhow. Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Lenita Toivakka, headed a group of over 70 Finnish representatives in Iran last December. She says that Iran was particularly interested in bio economy, clean tech and modern Finnish technology. Finnish companies could also provide services in healthcare technology and infrastructure projects. Ms Toivakka says that the problems with payments must be fixed in the first place.

Media:  Kaleva

Date: 17.1.2016

Journalist: STT

Main source: Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Lenita Toivakka

President Sauli Niinistö is concerned over Russian media information that Russia is collecting fees from asylum seekers travelling to Finland. President Niinistö wonders if there are paid permits or escorts required from the asylum seekers. The President and the government’s foreign and security policy committee met on Tuesday to discuss asylum seekers. Their focus is now on the eastern border. President Niinistö says that people arriving from Russia have represented 30 different nationalities.

Media:  Helsingin Sanomat (E-edition) 

Date: 20.1.2016

Journalist: Marko Junkkari

Main source: President Sauli Niinistö

Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini is happy with the nuclear agreement signed with Iran and the lifting of economic sanctions. He thinks the decisions will boost foreign trade and collaboration, which promotes peace. Minister Soini adds that it is important to supervise whether Iran follows the agreement. He hopes that Saudi Arabia and Iran would find a way to improve their relations and thus solve the Syrian crisis.

Media:  YLE Uutiset

Date: 17.1.2016

Journalist: Ville Laakso

Main source: Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini

The Financial Supervisory Authority announced in December that it would start preparations to increase mortgage risk weights. The risk weight determines how much a bank needs its own capital in relation to credit, so that it is able to cover the related credit loss risk. Currently major Finnish banks’ average mortgage credit risk weights are at approx. 6-8 per cent. The IRB system, which the biggest banks use, allow for a bank to use its own credit loss parameters when calculating risk weights. In Finland, four creditors: OP Group, Nordea, Ålandsbanken and Aktia are authorized by The Financial Supervisory Authority to use the IRB model.

Finland’s Minister of the Interior Petteri Orpo says that the country’s security environment has radically changed. Finland is affected by new risks due to terrorism, cyber crime and extensive immigration. However, Finland is still a safe country. Miinster Orpo is particularly worried over police resources. He would increase the number of police students.

Media:  MTV – Finland

Date: 12.1.2016

Journalist: Ville Eklund

Main source: Minister of the Interior Petteri Orpo