Statistics Finland reported on Thursday about Finland’s public debt to Eurostat. While the deficit, at 2.7 % of the GDP, was a modestly positive surprise, the debt increased to 63.1 % of the GDP. It remains to be seen how the Commission will react to Finland’s debt problem. Managing to put the deficit under the EU limit of 3 % may give Finland some breathing room, but the poor economy gives little hope for reducing the debt. The Commission has abandoned the agreements about how member states are reproached, and makes up new rules on the fly. It may warn Finland, or it may not. Finland is not the biggest worry the EU has right now.
Turkish PM in Finland: We have not sent refugees back to Syria
The Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutğlu visited Finland on Wednesday, Helsingin Sanomat writes. He said that the claims that Turkey has sent refugees back to Syria are not correct. The Prime Minister praised Finland for helping to advance Turkey’s EU membership negotiations. Finland’s Prime Minister Juha Sipilä, then again, reminded that Turkey must make reforms that guarantee, for example, freedom of speech. PM Davutoğlu was convinced that Turkey will fulfill all the requirements to become an EU member state. He added that Turkey is committed to European values. The PM wants to improve the already good relations between Finland and Turkey and to multiply trade between them.
Niinistö in America
President Sauli Niinistö spoke about his visit to the United States in an interview with Lännen Media. The President does not believe the relations between Finland and the US will change after the election of the new US President. In the US, he wanted to hear about Syria and there were actually long talks about the issue. The President believes the Syria question can improve the relations between the US and Russia. He has understood that the ceasefire in Syria was based on negotiations between these two countries. President Niinistö adds that the situation in Syria looks better than before.
President Niinistö comments Finland’s relations with US
President Sauli Niinistö spoke at the spring meeting of Finnish Defence Association, Maanpuolustusyhdistys, this week. He said that Finland’s security and foreign policy has not changed though some had claimed so. Finland has reacted to the situation but not overreacted, the President explained. In his speech, President Niinistö emphasised collaboration with Sweden as well as transatlantic relations. He hopes that Finland and Sweden would do their best to improve the stability of the Baltic Sea region.
Media: Ilta-Sanomat
Date: 6.4.2016
Journalist: Mika Lehto
Main source: President Sauli Niinistö
PØLAR FESTIVAL – La Semaine du Cinéma Nordique
Pølar Festival, le premier festival des cultures nordiques à Paris, propose un voyage immersif et sensoriel, à travers différents lieux de la capitale, pour découvrir ou redécouvrir ces pays fascinants.
Du 9 au 16 avril à l’Institut finlandais (60 Rue des Ecoles, 75005 Paris), le Ciné-Club Nordique accueille 10 projections de films inédits, qui dressent un portrait du cinéma du grand Nord.
Billetterie :
- Séance unique : 6€
- Pass NORDIQUE : 30 € les 6 séances
- Pass PØLAR : 40 € les 10 séances
Découvrez le programme complet du festival : www.polarfestival.com
Majority of Finns ready to give up raises for a year
Helsingin Sanomat has ordered a poll from TNS Gallup regarding Finns’ opinions on working life measures to improve Finland’s competitiveness. Finns would be ready to give up at least one working life benefit to create new jobs. The majority think that the best way to do this would be to give up raises for a year. More than half of the respondents also support cutting holiday pay by a third and extending annual working time by 24 hours without raising salaries. The least popular way to reduce employers’ costs is cutting evening and Sunday extras, the respondents found.
Media: Helsingin Sanomat
Finnish Forest Industries: Expense increases caused by emissions trade must be fully compensated
The Finnish Forest Industries says Finland can affect the competitiveness of domestic industry with its own decisions. The organisation maintains it is essential for the forest industry that the emissions trade compensation scribed in the government programme be fully put to use. The purpose of the compensation is that energy-intensive industries can be reimbursed for the expense increases caused by the EU emissions trade. If the compensation will be implemented only partially, Finnish industries will become less competitive in the future.
Media: Verkkouutiset
Date: 29.3.2016
Journalist: Heikki Jantunen
Main source: Finnish Forest Industries
Companies’ poor expectations improved slightly
Verkkouutiset writes that, according to the Confederation of Finnish Industries EK, Finnish industry’s trust in the economy strengthened slightly in March. In February, it was the second weakest in the EU after Luxembourg. The construction branch’s trust was slightly above the EU-average and rose above its own long-term average. The service sector’s trust diminished and was below the EU-average. The retail trade’s trust grew stronger but remained the weakest in the EU.
Media: Verkkouutiset
Date: 29.3.2016
Journalist: Heikki Jantunen
Main source: EK