Expert: Stubb criticised for failure to force through labour market reforms
Alexander Stubb, the chairperson of the National Coalition Party, has come under criticism from the right-wing quarters of his party mainly due to their disillusionment with the so-called competitiveness pact, Erkka Railo, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Parliamentary Studies of the University of Turku, analyses in an interview with Uusi Suomi.
“Stubb has disappointed the right wing as a chairperson. [He] has made promises he hasn't been able to keep,” he says.
Flammable liquids were used to set fire that destroyed a historic church in Ylivieska
Flammable liquids were used to set and accelerate the fire that devoured an 18th-century wooden church in Ylivieska, Northern Ostrobothnia, on 26 March, Ari Rutanen, the detective chief inspector in charge of the pre-trial investigation, reveals in a press release.
He adds that the perpetrator is likely to have broken into the church because the fire started from inside the church after the doors of the church had been locked.
Finland is the biggest nanny state in the EU
Finland is the worst country in the European Union to eat, drink, smoke and vape, according to the first edition of the Nanny State Index published by the Institute of Economic Affairs, a London-based think tank promoting free market economics.
Sweden, the United Kingdom and Ireland came in second, third and fourth respectively, whereas the Czech Republic and Germany were ranked as the most liberal countries in the European Union.
Court detains man suspected of setting a church ablaze in Ylivieska
The District Court of Ylivieska-Raahe has detained a man in connection with the fire that destroyed the church of Ylivieska last Saturday.
The suspect was detained for probable cause of aggravated criminal mischief as per the request of Ari Rutanen, the detective chief inspector in charge of the pre-trial investigation, on Wednesday, indicates a press release from the Oulu Police Department.
YLE praised for pro-digital culture and leadership
YLE has been singled out for praise for its investments in digital innovations in a report published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.
The research centre established under the University of Oxford estimates that YLE and its British counterpart, the BBC, have managed to adapt to the rapidly changing media environment by investing in mobile platforms and encouraging a pro-digital culture where new media are perceived as opportunities rather than threats.
Conductors' strike to halt most long-distance rail traffic on Thursday
A walk-out staged by rail conductors in protest of the sweeping lay-offs announced by VR will grind the majority of long-distance rail traffic to a halt on Thursday, VR states in a press release published on Wednesday.
The conductors walked out of their workplaces at 3am on Thursday and are expected to return to work at 3am on Friday.
STTK: Government should support business owners hiring their first employee
The Government of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä (Centre) should launch a trial to support business owners hiring their first employee, states Jukka Ihanus, the director of public affairs at the Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK).
“Encouraging the self-employed to become employers could create a substantial number of new jobs,” he argues on the website of STTK.
FMI: Spring is well on its way
Spring is well on its way in Finland, according to the latest weather forecasts.
The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) tweeted on Tuesday that the highest temperature of the year – 12.8 degrees Celsius – was recorded in Kokemäki, Satakunta, on Tuesday. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF), meanwhile, has said it expects the temperatures in Finland to hover clearly above seasonal averages over the next two weeks.
Migri to close dozens of reception centres
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has decided to shut down a total of 33 reception centres and not renew its fixed-term agreements with an additional 10 centres in response to a notable decline in the number of asylum seekers arriving in Finland.
Dozens of reception centres will also reduce their accommodation capacity considerably, indicates a bulletin released by Migri on Tuesday.
Finland is not out of the woods yet, warns chief strategist at Nordea
Finland is not out of the woods yet despite the recent shred of less negative news, says Jan von Gerich, a chief strategist at Nordea.
Gerich acknowledges in his latest economic review, titled Calm before the Storm, that the ten-year government bonds issued by Finland earlier in this month were received with considerable interest and allowed the country to meet its objective of raising four billion euros in funds.
Russia scholar: Aho's nomination to Sberbank sends an interesting message
Arto Luukkanen, an adjunct professor at the University of Helsinki, has questioned the nomination of ex-Prime Minister Esko Aho (Centre) to the executive board of Sberbank, one of the largest financial institutions in Russia.
“The nomination sends an interesting political message. Sberbank is closely affiliated with the [Russian] Government. Even if its officials are relatively Western in terms of their consumption habits, its policies are completely in line with the foreign policy of Russia. Prime Minister [Juha] Sipilä (Centre) does not regard this as a problem, however,” he writes on his blog on Puheenvuoro.
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- Finland and Russia made two agreements on cross-border traffic
- EK: Last year's industrial conflicts resulted in loss of over 105,000 working days
- F-Secure to hold election to nominate employee to board of directors
- Report: Haglund was quick to pick up on Russia's information campaigns
- Putin: We've agreed to restrict traffic through two border-crossing points
- From 750 jobs to 2,600 jobs in a year?
