NordenBladet — Minister for Nordic Cooperation Anne Berner will attend a meeting of the Ministers for Nordic Cooperation in Stockholm on 8 February 2018. This is the first meeting of the year during Sweden’s Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Ministers are expected to decide about the budget proposal for 2019 and about some of the projects under the Arctic Cooperation Programme.
The Ministers for Nordic Cooperation will also discuss the study of Nordic legislative cooperation, commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers, and handle the Freedom of Movement Council’s report on 2017.
NordenBladet – A new method of calculating wealth has resulted in the World Bank ranking Norway as the richest country in the world. The World Bank based its ranking on wealth per capita and thus beat out Qatar, which earlier held the top spot.
Instead of simply assessing wealth in terms of currency earned, though, the bank translated wealth into the various nations’ available resources both now and for the future. Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported over the weekend that expected income for residents of the countries in the course of their lifetimes was also taken into the equation.
Qatar now ranks second on the list, with Switzerland third, followed by Luxembourg and Kuwait. The five poorest countries were listed as Gambia, Burundi, Mozambique, Guinea and the Comores, an island state off of southern Africa.
Ingvild Almås, an economics professor at business school NHH in Bergen and the University of Stockholm, called the World Bank’s new calculations “interesting,” but worries that Norway may score higher than it should. She also warns that Norway’s economic dependence on oil can lead to major swings, given how oil prices rise and fall and how oil resources can run empty.
The wealth of natural resources like oil is part of the calculation in determining countries’ wealth. Almås also noted how oil prices can affect Norwegians’ expected earnings in the future. That makes Norway’s relative wealth vulnerable.
“One reason that we score so high can be that (Norway’s) oil wealth is counted two times,” Almås told NRK, both as a resource and as a factor responsible for relatively high incomes. She also cautioned that “in other countries with a lots of oil, but where the resource is privately owned without such a high degree of taxation as in Norway, oil resources won’t influence personal income to such a degree.”
Oil prices, meanwhile have recovered to around the USD 70-per-barrel mark in recent days, but they can dive again and take with them many jobs. It’s worth noting, though, that the numbers used in the World Bank study are from 2014, when oil prices collapsed. Norway’s economy held up relatively well during the oil price shock and has been recovering for the past year.
The World Bank study points out sharp differences among countries in the world. Norway’s total wealth per capita was set at USD 1.67 million, for example, as opposed to just USD 5,208 per resident in Gambia.
NordenBladet — The planned contribution is announced today in connection with GPE’s conference in Senegal. A Danish priority in the support for GPE is a special focus on marginalized groups and children.
Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs says:”Education is one of the most important factors when it comes to strengthening girls and women’s rights and self-determination. The same goes for children who grow up as refugees and in crises. When they gain access to education, we give them the opportunity for a better life in the future. Global Partnership for Education carries out an enormously important piece of work, and therefore I increase our contribution”. BackgroundGPE works to ensure equal access to education for all of the world’s children and young people by the end of 2030.
Global Partnership for Education is Denmark’s primary global partner in education. Denmark has supported with around 2.3 billion throughout the last 10 years.
In the Danish Finance Act of 2018, support for the Global Partnership for Education was expected to rise from 200 million to DKK 250 million DKK annually until 2021.
Minister of Development Cooperation, Ulla Tørnæs now increases the Danish contribution by additional 50 million DKK per annum up to and including 2021, with the total Danish contribution, thus, becoming 300 million DKK per year. The total Danish contribution will therefore amount to 1.2 billion DDK assuming the Danish parliament’s approval of the annual Finance Act.
NordenBladet — The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted EUR 4,295,000 to international non-governmental organisations for 2018–2019. Non-governmental organisations are partners engaged in international dialogue and exercise of influence, complementing the range of Finland’s foreign and security policy instruments taking into account the objectives of the Government Report on Development Policy and the Human Rights Strategy of the Foreign Service of Finland.
The thematic focus areas are prevention of discrimination and promotion of women’s and girls’ right to health. The funding covers the implementation of 3 projects.
For the prevention of discrimination, support was granted to two projects, one that advances the rights of persons with disabilities and another that addresses the rights of sexual minorities:
International Disability Alliance, Ensuring the realization of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (EUR 1,500,000)
International Lesbian Gay Association, Empowering LGBTI Human Rights Defenders in Global South to Advocate Effectively at the UN and National Levels Against Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression, and Sex Characteristics (EUR 1,500,000)
For the promotion of women’s and girls’ right to health, support was granted to one project:
World Young Women’s Christian Association, Promoting the Realization of the Right to Health for Young Women and Girls (EUR 1,295,000)
The Foreign Ministry’s support is strategically targeted to expert organisations with a broad regional and global organisational basis and impact. The organisations share their expertise and conduct advocacy work on international forums. They also significantly contribute to the promotion of human rights and equality in Finland’s partner countries at grassroots level.
OHMYGOSSIP – As I am still a bit sick (my whole family has already been in the flu for a week), I have cancelled all my meetings (wrote about it HERE) this week and cannot find any motivation to work thus decided to draw. All my life I have loved art and various handicrafts – drawing, painting, knitting, sewing, embroidery, making jewellery, etc. It is great to forget everything for a moment, feel like a child and let your imagination fly.
It is also fascinating that whatever I do, my children want to do the same right away. So cute! Help! I do love and adore my daughters a lot, it is difficult to explain it in words! I know that all parents adore their kids and I am not an exception at this point but I just have to scream it aloud – I love you, I love you, I love you so much, my darlings, my babies, my sweethearts!!!
Ivanka Shoshana was not interested in drawing today, but me and Estella Elisheva each drew a nice picture. As Estella Elisheva is very creative and is good with her hands we, as great entrepreneurs, have thought to make a children’s book together by writing fairy tales and drawing pictures by ourselves. I like the idea a lot! When our little children’s book does not get printed, we at least have a very valuable and lovely children’s book to share with our family, the book that we would keep in an honourable place on our bookshelf. Self-made things have character and have a soul in them. Home-made things bring the warmth of home and the feeling of doing things oneself is really amazing. I already framed and hung up the picture I drew.
NordenBladet — The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted EUR 370,000 in discretionary government transfers to 15 civil society organisations’ (CSOs) Europe information. The total number of supported projects is 18.
Discretionary government transfers are granted to CSOs in order to raise awareness of the European Union in Finland. CSOs play an important role in increasing knowledge and understanding of these matters and in promoting discussion related to the EU. The transfers strengthen CSOs’ Europe information and improve the citizens’ basic knowledge of questions related to the European Union and Finland’s membership of the EU.
In the application round 2018, the following matters were prioritised: the future of the EU and its significance to Finland; Brexit; economic and trade policies; the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); and the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, including defence. Emphasis was also put on young people’s opportunities in the EU and on the advantages and disadvantages of the EU membership.
During the application round, the focus was on the different aspects of communications, such as multiple channels, effectiveness of communications, and as wide dissemination as possible and accessibility of the produced material to the general public in particular. The contents produced by projects must be available to everyone, free of charge. The amount of discretionary government transfers granted to each project was between EUR 15,000 and EUR 50,000. The aim with this was to make it possible for CSOs to undertake more effective projects that would take account of the requirements set by the changed communications environment.
By the deadline set by the Ministry, a total of 43 organisations submitted applications for 52 projects. The one-year transfer is meant for the dissemination of information in Finland. The
Ministry for Foreign Affairs has granted discretionary government transfers to the following CSOs:
Attac Finland
Democratic Civic Association
European Movement in Finland
JEF Finland
European Youth Parliament Finland
Kansan Radioliitto
Kehys, Finnish NGDO Platform to the EU
Finnish Association of the Deaf
Union for Rural Culture and Education
Open Knowledge Finland
Peace Education Institute
SaferGlobe Finland
Finnish Youth Cooperation – Allianssi
SOSTE, Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health
UN Association of Finland
NordenBladet — Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen will visit Washington DC from 1 to 2 February. Minister Mykkänen will have meetings with Secretary of Commerce Wilbur L. Ross and other representatives of the administration. The aims of the visit are to strengthen the countries’ bilateral commercial and economic relations and to hold discussions on the transatlantic trade agenda and topical development questions.
“The United States is an important trading partner for Finland and Europe, and it has also traditionally been our partner in the development of the multilateral trading system. I look forward to meeting with Secretary Ross and other representatives of the US administration to discuss their current administration’s views on trade,” Minister Mykkänen says.
Forging closer relations with the United States is among the Finnish Government’s foreign and security policy priorities.
OHMYGOSSIP – If you have kids then you can be sure that sooner or later they will bring a virus of some kind from school, kindergarten, training or birthday and it will mess up the pace of everyday life of the whole family. Though I have been quite a healthy person, this time I have felt strange for a long time and I have been forced to cancel several trips abroad and some important meetings in past ten days.
On the 22nd and 23rd of January, there was Fashion Week Stockholm in Stockholm Grand Hotel, that I had looked forward to with great anticipation and during which I had agreed on meeting several people. On the 26th of January, I had planned two interviews and thought of visiting Swedish Tailsweep office and Moroccan and Israeli tourism agency in Stockholm, furthermore, on the 27th of January I planned to participate in the event named Luxury Travel Fair Stockholm and on the 28th of January I had arranged meetings within Wedding Fair Stockholm (Bröllopsmässan). On the 31st of January (today) I planned to take part in the fair called PCD Paris 2018 and as I was still struggling with the virus I could not visit another fair named Health & Beauty Scandinavia taking place in Oslo, Norway. The latter I had planned to visit long ahead and where I also wanted to take along my daughter Estella Elisheva (11).
I wrote some time ago that I am looking for investors-business partners and I would like to expand the brand named E&S (Elisheva & Shoshana) and bring to the market a new cosmetics brand under the name of E&S. Only two people have contacted me so far, and they are both Americans. I wish they were from Los Angeles, which we visit quite often, but unfortunately, they are not. They would suit well as investors but as active partners rather not, but they particularly prefer to be partners. As I mostly operate in Estonia, Sweden, Finland and Los Angeles I need someone for efficient cooperation specifically from these countries, more preferably even from Scandinavia, because OHMYGOSSIP web pages are acting under NordenBladet now and I spend most of my time in Nordic countries. I planned to visit beauty trade fairs because I would like to acquaint myself with cosmetic industry.
At the moments when I am sick in bed, I understand how important it is to have a good team. Marju, a long-time managing editor of NordenBladet and OHMYGOSSIP and translator Risto have been totally irreplaceable, I would go into battle with them anytime – they are correct, professional, fast, loyal – both are my right hands. Of course, all our other workers are also valuable employees. When you are away from work, you can see if you have good delegation skills and whether you have chosen a strong and efficient team. I am glad that I have found such nice people around me. There are not many of us, we are a small, successful, strong and supportive team. Love you so much!!! You are very dear to me! I have one more exciting news – a famous Estonian blogger and a talented fashion designer Mariliis Anger is joining our team and her brand Mariliis Anger will start functioning under OHMYGOSSIP. This transition was discussed and planned for several months. Cool! I am so excited! She is amazing, and you will definitely like her!
NordenBladet — As a part of its 100th anniversary, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will present its activities in various public events to be organised in different parts of the country. The first public events will be held in Kouvola on 31 January and in Kotka on 1 February.
The topics of these events will be Russia, Estonia, the Baltic Sea, and the Foreign Ministry’s consular services. Ambassadors Erja Tikka and Petri Salo, Counsellor Johanna Lukkarila, First Secretary Maria Forslund and Counsellor Tito Gronow will be present and speak at the events. In Kouvola, the event will start on 31 January at 17.00 in Kino Kouvola, Keskikatu 10; in Kotka, the event will start on 1 February at 17.00 in restaurant Vausti, meeting room, Keskuskatu 33.
NordenBladet — By the decision of 25 January, the Supreme Court declared the fee rates stipulated in the Bailiffs Act (§ 35 (2) and (3)) unconstitutional; the decision will take effect after a period of six months. The Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court was asked to settle a dispute over whether a debtor was obliged to pay the bailiff’s basic fee, which was more than 10,000 euros for the case in question.
In all the court instances, both the appellant as well as the Civil Chamber called into question the constitutionality of the regulation requiring the payment of the fee. The matter was referred for a hearing by the Supreme Court en banc, comprising 19 justices. The Supreme Court en banc explained that when determining the fee, a bailiff is guided by the provisions of the law and there is no basis in the current Bailiffs Act for reducing the basic fee.
A bailiff’s basic fee is a compulsory contribution under public law, resembling a levy. Its primary purpose is to cover the cost of a particular activity but also, for example, to pay for the reasonable remuneration of the bailiff and their office personnel as well as other necessary expenses. According to the Supreme Court en banc, the use of such cross-subsidisation is allowed, i.e. the coverage of the expenses accompanying the activity from the income received for other enforcement proceedings or activities.
They stressed, however, that the possibility to implement the principle of cross-subsidisation (i.e. the “settlement” of expenses) is not constitutionally unlimited. This means that the rate of the basic fee may not be excessively high when compared to the expected costs involved in meeting the relevant requirements. The Supreme Court en banc estimated that in the disputed matter, the fee rates are clearly higher than the expected costs of the proceedings. The Supreme Court en banc postponed the enforcement of the invalidity of the provisions by a period of six months in order to give the Riigikogu time to adopt a constitutional set of rules.
