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Helena-Reet Ennet

Helena-Reet Ennet
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Ministry of the Interior to prepare introduction of border procedure

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The Ministry of the Interior has set up a project to examine and prepare legislative amendments to enable the introduction of the border procedure in Finland. The border procedure would allow the processing of potentially unfounded asylum applications immediately at the border or in its vicinity. This would prevent asylum applicants from travelling within Finland or from Finland to other EU countries.The border procedure would mean that each application is investigated individually, thoroughly and fairly, as is the case with all asylum applications. The project will assess different alternative solutions and their impacts on fundamental and human rights in relation to the Finnish Constitution, other national legislation, EU legislation and Finland’s international human rights obligations. It will also examine how the new regulations would affect the status and rights of individuals.The project will run from 15 March 2022 to 31 March 2023. The Ministry of the Interior is preparing the project in close cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, the Finnish Immigration Service and the National Police Board. The government proposal is due to be submitted to Parliament during the autumn session 2022.Border procedure would strengthen preparedness for hybrid influence activitiesA working group led by the Ministry of the Interior recently evaluated the legislation of the Ministry’s branch of government and the need to amend it to prepare for hybrid influence activities that exploit migration. The context for the working group’s report, published in February, was the influence measures of Belarus, which were targeted against Poland, Latvia and Lithuania in autumn 2021.The Finnish asylum legislation is largely based on EU legislation, and Finland has implemented the EU legislation fairly comprehensively in areas left to the Member States’ discretion. However, the working group discussed in its report certain means available in the EU legislation that, if implemented in Finland, would likely bring additional tools for managing situations created by hybrid influence activities. One of these tools is border procedure.As a response to Belarus’ activities, the European Commission presented a set of proposals where border procedure is given as one means of responding to instrumentalisation of migrants and of managing migrants who have already entered the country.The working group led by the Ministry of the Interior focused in its report on legislation governing normal conditions, in which powers related to disruption of normal conditions should be enacted as a matter of priority. It is important to examine the means proposed in the report for developing legislation in more detail without delay.Many ways to respond to instrumentalisation of migrantsThere is a variety of different types of operative, legal, diplomatic and economic means for responding to the instrumentalisation of migrants. Diplomacy is the primary means of responding when a foreign state exerts political pressure by exploiting migrants. However, legislation must be clear and the authorities must have sufficient powers to act pre-emptively and respond effectively to such influence activities. Finland has already taken versatile ways of precaution to prepare for hybrid influence activities that exploit migrants.  International and human rights obligations do not prevent Finland from adopting effective measures to manage the situation at its external border. These measures could help prevent people from accessing Finland uncontrollably by exploiting large numbers or force, among other means. One such measure could be the closing of border crossing points for a fixed period or until further notice should this be necessary for reasons of security or public health.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

The Social Affairs Committee sent amendments to the Health Services Organisation Act to first reading

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —

The Social Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) decided to send the Bill on Amendments to the Health Services Organisation Act and Other Acts to the first reading. The purpose of the Bill is to make the health care system more flexible and ensure better availability of general medical care. The Bill provides that from 1 July, general medical care will be organised by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund instead of the Health Board.

Chair of the Social Affairs Committee Siret Kotka said that the Bill would provide the possibility to ensure medical care in the situations where public competitions for finding family physician for a practice list have failed or a practice list unexpectedly remains without a family physician. “In the current situation, it is optimal that the local hospital will take the people who have lost their family physician under its care until a new family physician is found. The hospitals can keep a constant eye on the people, and this will reduce the burden of emergency medicine departments,” she explained.

Deputy Chair of the Social Affairs Committee Helmen Kütt stated that she supported the Bill. “It is a very good bill. Extending of the rights of nurses is especially welcome,” she said, pointing out that when the Bill would enter into force, specialised nurses would get the right to issue prescriptions on certain medicines like family nurses. The nurses will also be given the right to issue certificates of incapacity for work. “However, there is a concern about the arrangements for informing patients if the search for a family physician has been unsuccessful and the family physician service is to be organised by the hospital. And also how long is the notion “temporary solution”,” Kütt admitted.

The Health Services Organisation Act will also include the right of persons residing in Estonia on the basis of a residence permit and persons with health insurance legally staying in Estonia to register in the practice list of a family physician and to change a family physician on the basis of a written application. Besides that, the family physicians will be obliged to inform the persons in the practice list at least six months in advance if the place of business of the family physician changes.

It was pointed out at the sitting that half of the young doctors who had acquired the specialty of a family physician did not start working as family physicians with a practice list within five years after completing their training but worked in some other post as a contracted doctor. In order to encourage young doctors to start working as family physicians, they will be allowed to start with a shorter practice list so that a beginner family physician would have time for getting to know the patients and settle in.

From the Ministry of Social Affairs, Minister of Health and Labour Tanel Kiik also participated in the sitting of the Committee.

The Social Affairs Committee decided to send the Bill on Amendments to the Health Services Organisation Act and Other Acts (533 SE), initiated by the Government, to the first reading at the plenary sitting on 6 April, with the motion to conclude the first reading of the Bill.

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Bill on additional days of rest passed the first reading in the Riigikogu

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —

At today’s sitting of the Riigikogu, the Bill under which the working day following a national day or public holiday falling on a day of rest will be an additional day of rest passed the first reading.

Under the Bill on Amendments to the Public Holidays and Days of National Importance Act (514 SE), initiated by the Social Democratic Party Faction, no additional day of rest will be given for public holidays that always fall on a Sunday. This means that, according to the Bill, Easter Sunday and Pentecost Sunday will not be compensated with a day off.

The explanatory memorandum notes that Estonia has ten public holidays accompanied by a day off, and the European Union countries’ average is 12. As for the neighbouring countries, Finland has 13 and Latvia has 12 moveable holidays.

A Bill was dropped from the proceedings

The Bill on Amendments to the Income Tax Act (503 SE), initiated by the Social Democratic Party Faction and Member of the Riigikogu Raimond Kaljulaid, provided that the rate of the income exempt from tax would be increased to the minimum wage level.

According to the Bill, from 1 July, the rate of the income exempt from tax would have been 654 euro per month and from then onwards 7848 euro per year. The increase of the rate of the income exempt from tax was intended to improve the livelihood of the low wage earners, increase their motivation to work and reduce the burden on the social system.

During the debate, Lauri Läänemets took the floor on behalf of the Social Democratic Party Faction and Aivar Sõerd on behalf of the Reform Party Faction.

The lead committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 48 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 28 voted against. Thus, the motion was supported and the Bill was dropped from the legislative proceedings.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

The video recording of the sitting will be available on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Ministers for European Affairs Tuppurainen and Dahlgren stress importance of EU as a guarantor of security

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — On Monday 14 March, Minister for European Affairs Tytti Tuppurainen and Swedish Minister for EU Affairs Hans Dahlgren met in Stockholm for a wide-ranging discussion on the security situation in Europe and other topical EU issues.The discussions highlighted both countries’ unwavering support for Ukraine and reaffirmed the EU’s resolve to defend the Ukrainian people and the country’s right to self-determination. Both Finland and Sweden have strongly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in breach of international law. The countries are also providing financial and material assistance to Ukraine, both directly and through the EU. “Finland and Sweden need to stay in close contact now more than ever. We share the same security environment and work together as part of the European Union. We are close NATO partners. We engage in close international defence cooperation with the United States in particular, with a strong focus on the Northern Dimension. We work together without predetermined restrictions to prepare for all situations, and we are now, like the rest of Europe and the Western community, in the midst of a dramatic change. In this situation, it is natural that possible NATO membership is a topic of discussion in Sweden and Finland,” says Minister Tuppurainen.Finland and Sweden have stressed the importance of the mutual defence clause in Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union, the role of which is further emphasised in the changed security situation. The Article obliges EU Member States to use all means in their power to help another Member State that is the victim of armed aggression on its territory. In the Declaration adopted at their informal meeting in Versailles 10–11 March, the EU leaders also expressed a strong commitment to the mutual defence clause.In their meeting, the ministers had an extensive discussion on several other topical EU matters. Their discussions highlighted ongoing work to develop the EU’s defence capabilities, the heightened importance of the green transition and reducing energy dependency in the current situation, questions related to the rule of law, and Sweden’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will begin in January 2023.While in Stockholm, Minister Tuppurainen also met with Sweden’s senior public officials and representatives of business life.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Åland Week to celebrate province’s anniversary in schools

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The week beginning on 21 March will be Åland Week in schools. Nearly 20 partners have been involved in putting together the programme for the week, which is coordinated by the Prime Minister’s Office and will feature events in various parts of Finland. Åland Week is a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Åland’s autonomy.The programme for the week will make the Province of Åland better known to schoolchildren and students in a variety of ways through a selection of important topics. In the same week, we will also celebrate Nordic Day and UN World Water Day.Each day of the week will have its own theme: Monday: Åland’s history and autonomyTuesday: The Baltic Sea, the environment and nature, UN Water DayWednesday: The Nordic countries, languages and Nordic cooperation, Nordic DayThursday: The culture of ÅlandFriday: Food from ÅlandMinister of Education Li Andersson and Åland’s Minister of Education and Culture Annika Hambrudd are the patrons of the week. On Nordic Day, Wednesday 23 March, the ministers will have a discussion with students in year 9 at the Nordic Culture Point in Helsinki.On the same day in Rovaniemi, Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality Thomas Blomqvist will give a video greeting at a Nordic Day event organised together with the Regional Council of Lapland, the Finnish Norden Association and the teacher training school of the University of Lapland. On Tuesday, Minister Hambrudd will visit Lappeen koulu school in Lappeenranta.Åland Week will kick off with a livestreamed event in Mariehamn featuring Governor of Åland Peter Lindbäck, among others. The closing event of the week, held at Merenkurkun koulu language immersion school in Vaasa, will also be broadcast live. Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson, who is the minister responsible for Åland affairs, will take part in the event. During the day, chef Viktor Eriksson from Åland will prepare food with schoolchildren.Many partners involved in organising the weekA variety of operators and organisations are contributing to the programme or have produced material about Åland for schools. The partners involved in the programme for Åland Week include the National Archives of Finland, the Finnish National Agency for Education and the Hanaholmen Svenska nu network, Nordic Culture Point, the Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association, Language Ambassadors, the National Museum of Finland, the Cultural History Museum of Åland, Visit Åland, the Parliament of Finland, Arbis adult educational centre and Mariehamn Literature Days.The digital material for Åland Week is freely available and the livestream is open to the public. The programme and materials have been designed for use by schools.Celebrations for the 100th anniversary of Åland’s autonomy began in June 2021 and will culminate on Åland’s Autonomy Day on 9 June 2022. The Prime Minister’s Office is participating in the celebrations by organising events in cooperation with the Province of Åland and other operators.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Taking a stand for sympathy and against racism

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The secretariat of the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations has been contacted a number of times regarding hate speech and harassment directed towards Russian speakers living in Finland. The Advisory Board condemns all racism, hate speech and other harassment against people of Russian origin, Russian speakers and people from the former Soviet Union in Finland. Adults are responsible for ensuring that there is zero tolerance for intimidation and bullying against children and young people.The Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations ETNO is a broad-based cooperation network operating in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice. Its main task is to promote good relations between population groups and equality of all people living in Finland. On behalf of the Advisory Board, we would like to remind the public that Ukraine has been attacked by the Russian army by order of the Russian state leadership. It has not been attacked by the Russian people, and people of Russian origin living in Finland cannot be blamed for the situation in Ukraine. It is now important that we all support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people – both those who have stayed in their home country and those who have fled the war. Hate speech and harassment do not help anyone in this situation.Focus your energy on the good It is understandable that fears and uncertainty about the future can trigger strong emotions, prejudices and even hatred in any of us. However, we hope that people living in Finland can come together and channel this frustration and energy into helping those in distress.The Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations promotes dialogue between people and population groups, and we want to emphasise that each of us has an opportunity to increase understanding between people. This can be done, for example, by engaging in constructive discussion or voluntary work, intervening in racist behaviour, or participating in the week against racism on week 12.There are many ways to support Ukraine, including by making donations to address the humanitarian crisis. Chair of the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations
Pekka Timonen
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of JusticeHow to tackle racism

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Meeting of President of the Riigikogu and Foreign Minister of Croatia focused on the war in Ukraine

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —

At their meeting today, President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Jüri Ratas and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia Gordan Grlić-Radman spoke about the security situation and defence cooperation in NATO and the European Union in connection with the war in Ukraine.

Ratas underlined the excellent relations between Estonia and Croatia in the European Union and their strong allied relations in NATO. “In the current security situation, it is very important to keep our unity,” Ratas said. He acknowledged Croatia’s membership in and contribution to the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn.

According to Ratas, Estonia will continue to provide military, political, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. He and the Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs gave an overview of receiving of war refugees and the activities to support them in their countries.

Developments in West Balkan were also discussed. Ratas stated that Estonia supported the enlargement of the European Union, because keeping both West Balkan and the Eastern Partnership countries on the course towards the European Union and supporting their reforms was important for securing the stability and security of Europe.

Speaking of bilateral relations, Ratas highlighted the e-services, where a good foundation for further cooperation had been laid, because already now the digital prescriptions service was functioning across the borders. Cooperation in defence industry also holds a great potential.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia expressed regret that, due to Russia’s aggression, the security and stability in Europe, as well as values and international law were under attack. He said that Croatia understood the people of Ukraine very well, because in the 1990s Croatia also experienced war. At the meeting, he described an incident where last week a drone from Ukraine that had flown over several NATO countries unnoticed fell down in a suburb of Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, and emphasised that in order to prevent such incidents in the future, the member states had to cooperate better in air policing.

Chairman of the Estonia-Croatia Parliamentary Friendship Group Jüri Jaanson and Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Mihhail Lotman also participated in the meeting. Lotman gave an overview of his recent visit to Ukraine and said that Putin’s regime had launched a war not only against Ukraine, but against all Western values. Jaanson spoke of the humanitarian disaster caused by the war in Ukraine. Both Jaanson and Lotman underlined that we need to distinguish between Putin’s regime and the Russian people.

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Ratas discussed cooperation in fighting against Russia’s aggression in Ukraine with his Spanish counterpart

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —

Today, President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Jüri Ratas held a video conference with President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain Meritxell Batet. They discussed the current security situation and cooperation in fighting against Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

Ratas believes that the allied relations between Estonia and Spain are closer than ever before. He thanked Spain for their contribution to the collective defence and air policing of the Baltic region and expressed hope that Spanish troops would return to Ämari Air Base next year. “In the present situation, it is important to continue strengthening NATO’s Eastern Flank, which is ensured by the permanent presence of the allies in the Baltic States,” Ratas noted.

“The attack of Putin’s regime against Ukraine is an extremely serious violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of another state as well as of the principles of international law,” Ratas said to his Spanish counterpart. “It threatens international peace and security. Ukraine is fighting not only for its state, but for the democracy and freedom of Europe and for the European values.”

Ratas assured that Estonia would continue to provide military, political, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. “Ukraine has shown extraordinary unity in fighting against Russia’s extensive military aggression,” Ratas said. “As allies, we have to continue supporting Ukraine. In the current situation, it is not possible to have any kind of dialogue with the aggressor.”

According to Ratas, it is important to tighten the sanctions and other measures against Russia to make the war in Ukraine as costly as possible. “Therefore, it is necessary to add more oligarchs and people responsible for the aggression in the list of sanctions, to cut Russia off from SWIFT network and to restrict their transactions in euros,” he pointed out. “The sanctions are necessary, even if they have a high price also for us.”

Ratas added that the allies must together do all they can in order to, on the one hand, to expel Russia from international organisations and assemblies and, on the other hand, to support Ukraine in its application for the EU and NATO membership. In his opinion, it is understandable that there can be no rapid accession process of Ukraine to the European Union. “The principles of the European Union enlargement policy remain valid, but at present our strong political message of support is crucial for the Ukrainians,” he said. “They need our support now more than ever before.”

At the video meeting, Ratas gave his Spanish counterpart an outline of Estonia’s activities in receiving war refugees. Both Speakers mutually reaffirmed the excellent relations between Estonia and Spain and discussed opportunities for cooperation in the development of cybersecurity and digital projects.

The President of the Congress of Deputies of Spain said that the Ukrainians were fighting for their freedom, but also for the European values, human rights and the international law. She acknowledged Ukraine’s neighbouring countries that bear a greater burden in assisting war refugees.

Photos of the meeting Erik Peinar, Chancellery of the Riigikogu

Source: Parliament of Estonia

Defence Ministers of Finland and Sweden took part in a scenario-based exercise

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen and Sweden’s Minister of Defence Peter Hultqvist met today 14 March 2022 in Helsinki and took part in a scenario-based exercise. The ministers published the following joint statement:

Sweden and Finland give high priority to the continued development of our bilateral defence cooperation. We are prepared to act together in peacetime and beyond it. We have bilateral operation plans and contingency measures, enabling us to coordinate our actions in times of crisis and war.

During our meeting today we discussed the international security situation and deepening our bilateral defence cooperation.

One element of our bilateral defence cooperation is table top exercises. The Swedish and Finnish Defence Ministers had such an exercise on 14 March. Chiefs of Defence from Sweden and
Finland, too, took part in the exercise. The exercise was based on a fictitious scenario of a conflict in the Baltic Sea Region. Its objective was to practice political decision-making and procedures for joint action.

Table top exercises and other similar exercises reinforce the defence capability of our countries and increase our understanding of the possibilities and potential challenges of joint military operations.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

A Bill amending the Consumer Protection Act passed the second reading in the Riigikogu

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
-

NordenBladet —

At today’s sitting, the Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the Bill that will increase consumers’ trust and confidence when concluding transactions online and update the rules on commercial practices.

The purpose of the Bill on Amendments to the Consumer Protection Act (424 SE), initiated by the Government, is to increase consumers’ trust and confidence when concluding transactions online, as well as to update the regulation of unfair commercial practices in view of new technologies and digital opportunities in offering both goods and services.

The Bill will also enhance the sanctions for violation of the legal provisions established to protect consumer rights in order to ensure equal competition opportunities in the market. The new penalty rates and the increasing of the current penalty rates will concern infringements relating to the provision of mandatory information to the consumer when offering goods or services and the use of unfair commercial practices, including the requirements set out for informing about discounts as well as other requirements laid down in the Law of Obligations Act to protect consumer rights.

For example, it will be prohibited to resell tickets to events that are acquired with the help of software solutions enabling automated purchases, ignoring the conditions for purchasing the tickets. Such activity restricts consumers’ access to cultural and sports events, because tickets are resold at a much higher price than the original price. It will also be prohibited to state or create an impression that the reviews published about products or services have been submitted by consumers who have purchased or used them where the trader has not taken reasonable steps to check that. The Bill will transpose into Estonian law the relevant EU directive as regards the better enforcement and modernisation of Union consumer protection rules.

Tarmo Kruusimäe (Isamaa) took the floor during the debate.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

The video recording of the sitting will be available on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
(Please note that the recording will be uploaded with a delay.)

Source: Parliament of Estonia

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