Friday, April 27

Sauli watches over Halonen’s power

Sauli Niinistö, the new speaker of the Finnish parliament and former chairman of the National Coalition party (Kokoomus) said on Wednesday 25th of April 2007 that the president’s participation at EU summit meetings should not be limited.

The surprise stands on the fact that the chairman of the Kokoomus Jurki Katainen, the successor and best pupil of Niinistö seems to have a different idea and he has openly talked about it. In an interview Mr. Katainen had emphasized the need for a debate on whether the president should be allowed to travel to the EU summits.

The truth is that Mr. Niinistö isn’t really defending the Finnish president Mrs. Tarja Halonen who made the government to feel a bit …uncomfortable last year when Finland hosted the presidency of the EU and for six months all the summits but he wants to make sure that the president’s seat will have a meaning when …he will step in.

It seems somehow that the seat of the speaker of the Finnish parliament is a step either to retirement or to the presidential palace and Niinistö is still young and very ambitious to let the top seat of his dreams to be chopped in …pieces even if that means a contrast with his own party and his favorite pupil.


Stasi’s list …classified

Once upon a time there was a secret police that had spies …just everywhere and obviously including Finland otherwise there is no explanation why Helsinki’s district court ruled on Wednesday 25th of April 2007, that the Stasi lists would remain classified as secret documents.

I’m not sure how the Finns feel about it that it makes me wander. How many names are included in these lists and most of all what positions and how important were or even worst are these people who are included in these lists?

You see Finland has already a rich past with spying cases and courts; from the other side Stasi was a secret service that made even KGB look like an innocent sheep, they were definitely the bad wolf of the cold war era. So it is natural when you rule something as ‘classified secret documents’ to raise more questions. Furthermore to leave alive suspicions for people who cannot prove their innocent like the case of Mr. Alpo Rusi as Stasi’s and KGB’s contacts during the cold war.

Mr. Rusi has already been victimized when he was under investigation from the Finnish Security Police suspecting him for spying for the former German Democratic Republic. That there were no charges brought against Mr. Rusi is natural that doesn’t make him feel very comfortable and it is his right to protect his reputation.

Actually it is the state’s responsibility, especially in a democracy to protect his reputation, everybody is innocent till proven guilty and by leaving something not clear covering it with ‘classified secret documents’ doesn’t help much … on the contrary!


Finland saves lives

In a period when 30,000 kids die in a daily base you can only congratulate the Finnish foreign office for granting 42.7 million euros in humanitarian aid to regions that are continually affected by long term crises.

The funds will be directed to the crisis areas through United Nations agencies which try to help over 27 million people in 19 countries or regions with Sudan and the Democratic republic of Congo the areas with the most needs.

The funds will be used to feed people, people or nations affected by HIV AIDS and of course improve lives of women and girls.

Think of it, if every country followed the example of Finland how many lives would have been saved every day and remember that Finland is a country of 6 million and not a country of 60 million like some others in out developed globe. If Finland can give nearly 43 million then countries like Germany should be able to give 430 millions and when it comes to USA save whole nations from extension.

We often mention in Ovi magazine the number of 30,000 kids dieing every day because it seems that most of the people can not understand it. In some places in Africa like Sudan, water and a plate of food can save lives. The humanitarian catastrophe has reached unbelievable levels and the only way to act is act now.

The former chief of the United Nations has organized a panel in Berlin asking for help and trying to alarm nations that they must help here and now because people die every minute. Let’s hope that others will follow Finland’s example!


Friday, April 20

A dark blue goverment with ...two green spots!!!

I suppose the members of the green party must be happy now they exchanged their thirty silver coins with two ministerial seats!

My only question if they will find voters for the next elections or if they are going to change their name into the non-green party or even better the deep blue party!!!

Just imagine, how would you feel if you heard that in France the conservative party of Mr. Sarkozy agreed a coalition government with Le Pen and the Green Party, or in England the Conservatives, the right member of the National Front and the Greens made a government, and please don’t answer that …this is Finland, because other than hypocrites, you are blind as well.