Sweden’s hopes of quickly following Finland into NATO membership have alighted on Turkey’s presidential election in May, in which recent polls show President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s 20-year rule is in danger of ending. “The signals that Sweden has gotten from the opposition have been very good,” Paul Levin, director ofContinue Reading
The “tax hump” in Estonia is a throwback, Incoming Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) says. Tsahkna says that while the phenomenon, also known as bracket-creep, arose during his time in office when he was leader of Isamaa (then known as IRL), it is now outdated, hence theContinue Reading
The government will continue to privatize state-owned, but non-strategically important, companies. A list specifying which firms this will concern is to be completed by the end of the year. Estonia currently has 27 state-owned and part state-owned companies, Thursday’s “Aktuaalne kaamera” (AK) reported. Enefit Green, a subsidiary of energy generatorContinue Reading
In an address to MPs at the formal opening of Finnish Parliament on Thursday, President Sauli Niinistö said the job of an MP is not an individual endeavour, but rather part of a joint effort on behalf of the entire nation. “It requires a lot from you: Capability to cooperateContinue Reading
Denmark will make its decision on donating F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in the coming summer, confirmed acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen on Tuesday. The minister during his visit to Ukraine told the local broadcaster TV2 that “the decision will take time because Denmark is not going to doContinue Reading
More than a quarter of Sweden’s electricity has come from wind power for two consecutive months – but a new report has warned that the country’s emissions could soon rise. Sweden generated a record 27 per cent of electricity from wind in February, narrowly beating a 26 per cent recordContinue Reading
On Wednesday, the Riigikogu voted in favor of giving Prime Minister-designate Kaja Kallas (Reform) a mandate to form a new government. 59 members of the Riigikogu voted in favor and 38 against. Kallas had not received a mandate on Tuesday, as the day’s Riigikogu session ended before a vote couldContinue Reading
Ilta-Sanomat has a survey on attitudes to immigration, which is at the top of the agenda for some in Finland. They found that 52 percent of respondents would like to increase work-based immigration, with 28 percent wanting to keep it at the same level it is now. The issue isContinue Reading
The Åland islands occupy a special position in Finland, with a demilitarised status that means no armed forces can be stationed there and, unlike male citizens from elsewhere in Finland, Ålanders cannot be conscripted. Finland does, however, have the obligation to defend Åland if necessary. There are MPs in theContinue Reading
Viron asevoimien komentaja, kenraali Martin Herem tekee työvierailun Suomeen 11. huhtikuuta. Vierailua isännöi Puolustusvoimain komentaja, kenraali Timo Kivinen. Vierailun aikana keskustellaan muun muassa Suomen ja Viron välisestä puolustusyhteistyöstä, ja Suomen Nato-jäsenyyden sotilaallisen yhteensovittamisen etenemisestä. Vierailuohjelmaan sisältyy tutustuminen Merivoimien toimintaan Rannikkoprikaatissa. Vierailunsa aikana kenraali Herem tapaa myös puolustusministeri Antti Kaikkosen.Continue Reading