Finland does not currently have a well-functioning healthcare system that can treat all patients equally and in a timely fashion. That’s the majority view of parliamentary party leaders, as revealed during Yle’s election debate on Monday evening. Eight out of nine leaders answered in the negative when debate moderator AnnikaContinue Reading
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö told Swedish public broadcaster SVT (siirryt toiseen palveluun) on Sunday that he did not believe that Sweden’s chances of joining Nato had weakened after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said Turkey’s parliament would start ratifying Finland’s accession. Since applying for membership, Finnish leaders have emphasisedContinue Reading
Turkey plans to ratify Finland’s application to join Nato, but independently from Sweden’s bid, ahead of Turkish parliamentary and presidential elections in mid-May, according to Reuters. On Wednesday, Reuters cited two Turkish officials saying that the Turkish parliament is “highly likely to ratify Finland’s Nato bid before it closes inContinue Reading
According to Kusti Salm, secretary general at the Estonian Ministry of Defense and Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) division commander Major General Veiko-Vello Palm, one of the main lessons of the war in Ukraine is that Estonia’s ammunition stocks are in need of major replenishment. “‘Security’ is the keyword of recentContinue Reading
Finland’s electricity pricing system led to consumers paying more than they should have during the second half of 2022, according to an Aalto University professor. The energy crisis cost Finnish households an additional five billion euros, according to a study by Yle’s investigative journalism unit MOT. Between July and DecemberContinue Reading
Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) said in Kyiv that Finland should discuss whether its old Hornet fighters could be sent to Ukraine. Speaking to reporters in Ukraine on Friday, Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) said that Finland should discuss the possibility of sending some of its ageing Hornet fighters toContinue Reading
Some of the funds will be used to help the estimated 17.5 million people in the country needing help, including with food as well as education and nuclear safety support. Finland is planning to send a 29 million euro humanitarian aid and development support package to Ukraine, the Finnish MinistryContinue Reading
The head of the Swedish delegation in Brussels told reporters that progress is unlikely before Turkish elections, scheduled for 14 May. The latest round of trilateral talks between Finland, Sweden and Turkey over stalled applications by the two Nordic nations to join the Nato military alliance concluded on Thursday eveningContinue Reading
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has assured Lithuania of further military support from Germany at the start of his first visit to the country. decision on a permanent deployment of a German brigade to Lithuania will be “up to NATO”, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Tuesday in response toContinue Reading
The 2023 Riigikogu election-winning Reform Party has decided to invite Eesti 200 and the Social Democratic Party (SDE) to initiate coalition talks, Prime Minister and Reform Party chair Kaja Kallas announced at a press conference on Tuesday morning. The Reform Party, which won 37 seats in the 101-seat Riigikogu, decidedContinue Reading