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Discretionary government transfers granted for CSOs’ Europe information in 2018

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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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

Source: Finland.ee
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

 

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Mykkänen to Washington DC

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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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.

Source: Finland.ee
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

 

Helena-Reet: Life can be so hectic and make your head spin around. What does it mean to fall ill? I have a personal example up my sleeve …

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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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!

Featured image: Mariliis Anger

A hundred years of foreign policy – Foreign Ministry’s public events in Kouvola and Kotka

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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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.

Source: Finland.ee
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

 

Supreme Court declares excessive bailiffs’ fees invalid

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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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.

Source: Riigikohus.ee
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

 

Inauguration of the President of the Republic of Finland, 1 February 2018

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —  The inauguration of the President of the Republic of Finland will take place on Thursday 1 February 2018. At 12 noon, President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö will arrive for a plenary session of Parliament. There he will take the oath of office, the solemn affirmation referred to in section 56 of the Constitution. Following this, Speaker of Parliament Maria Lohela will convey Parliament’s greetings to the President. President Niinistö will then respond with a speech addressed to Parliament.

At about 12.30, the President will depart to inspect the guard of honour at the front of the Parliament Building. Members of the public may follow the inspection of the guard of honour from Mannerheimintie.

After this, the President will transfer to the Presidential Palace, where he will greet the public from the Palace balcony at about 12.40. The public may follow the presidential greeting from the Market Square.

In the Presidential Palace, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps will greet the President, who will then respond. Before transferring to the Hall of State, the President will shake hands with the members of the diplomatic corps in the Hall of Mirrors.

In the Hall of State, the Prime Minister will address the President, and the President, in turn, will give a speech. Finally, still in the Hall of State, the President will shake hands with members of the Government, representatives of the highest state bodies and the most senior public officials. The event will end by about 14.30.

A book of congratulations will be available for the public to sign on Thursday 1 February from 10.00 to 16.00 in the entrance hall of the Main Guard Post building, at Mariankatu 1, and on Friday 2 February from 10.00 to 16.00 in the foyer of the Presidential Palace, at Mariankatu 2.

The inauguration of the President of the Republic will be broadcast live on TV1 and Yle Areena, and commentary will also be available in Swedish. The inaugural ceremonies will be broadcast live on Radio Suomi as well.

Source: Finland.ee
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

 

Record number of advance votes abroad

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — Based on preliminary data, 52,615 persons cast their votes in Finland’s missions abroad in advance in the first round of the presidential election. This is the highest ever voter turnout abroad.

The number of votes exceeded that of the presidential election of 2012, when 47,524 persons cast their votes in the first round.  According to the Population Register Centre, over 250,000 persons with a permanent residence abroad are eligible to vote in the presidential election of Finland.

Advance voting was arranged in 89 countries with 242 polling stations in all. In addition, some Finnish vessels’ crew member had an opportunity to vote in advance on board and over 200 crew members used their right to vote.  Advance voting was also arranged at the bases of the Finnish crisis management forces in Iraq and Lebanon.

Advance voting was the most active in Sweden, where a total of 12,236 votes were cast in 35 polling stations.  The second highest voter turnout was recorded in Spain, where 10,351 persons cast their votes. The United States with 3,558 advance voters came in third place. Over three thousand votes were cast in both Germany and the United Kingdom.

 

Source: Finland.ee
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

 

The Global Action on Disability Network meets in Helsinki

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland together with the Abilis Foundation will co-host the Global Action on Disability (GLAD) Network meeting in Helsinki, Finland, from 31 January to 2 February 2018. More than 90 important international partners and donors engaged in development cooperation and humanitarian aid will gather in Helsinki.

“Finland wants to highlight the rights and the needs of persons with disabilities in the context of humanitarian crises. There has been a dramatic growth in the need for humanitarian assistance in the recent years.

Persons with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by disaster and conflict. They face particular barriers in accessing life-saving assistance and are often exposed to targeted violence and exploitation”, says Kai Mykkänen, Minister of Foreign Trade and Development, who will open the meeting.

This is the second meeting of the international GLAD Network of donors. Its membership consists of states, representatives of the private sector, foundations, UN agencies and civil society organisations that are committed to promoting the position of persons with disabilities in connection with development cooperation and humanitarian action.  The following organisations will be represented in Helsinki: European Commission, UNDP, UNICEF, UN WOMEN, WHO, World Bank, International Committee of the Red Cross and World Federation of the Deaf. Also the Australian Minister for International Development Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, who co-chairs the meeting, will be present.

The network aims to promote the rights of persons with disabilities and the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), to reduce inequality, and to ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities are a central part of global sustainable development goals (SDGs). The Helsinki meeting will focus on education, humanitarian action and social security.

For the past three decades, Finland has pioneered in international work aiming to improve the position of persons with disabilities through development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.  Finland supports not only the GLAD Network but also other international actors, such and the UN Partnership to Promote the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD). Finland is the biggest single contributor to this partnership.

Source: Finland.ee
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

 

Baltic states join forces for 12 film festivals in centennial year

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – The Baltic film institutions renewed their mutual cooperation agreement at Trieste Film Festival. An addendum sets out the plan to run 12 joint film promotion projects in 2018 on the occasion of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania’s centennial year.

“Three years ago, we saw more potential in presenting ourselves as one region. When working together, it is easier for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to gain access to high-profile festivals and film industry events. This year, as we are celebrating statehood centenaries of all the three nations, we have an opportunity to draw attention to ourselves and plan an intensive year of promoting Baltic cinema,” says Rolandas Kvietkauskas, CEO of Lithuanian Film Centre.

Following up on the Mutual Cooperation Agreement, signed in 2015 in Cannes, to step up joint efforts in promoting Baltic film production and marketing, the film institutions of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have agreed to cooperate on projects presenting and promoting their national cinemas in a number of European feature film, documentary and animation festivals.

Source: News.err.ee

Foreign Ministry at the teaching and education event Educa

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The Educa Expo for the training and education sector in Finland will be held in the Messukeskus Expo and Convention Centre in Helsinki on Friday and Saturday, 26-27 January 2018. At its stand 6n50, the Ministry’s Europe Information and Unit for Development Communications will provide information on topical matters, and discussions will be arranged focusing on the EU, Finland’s development cooperation, and Arctic questions.

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen will be available for interviews at the Foreign Ministry’s stand on Saturday from 14.00 to 14.20. The themes of discussion will include topical EU matters, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and climate change in developing countries and in the Arctic.

The programme provided by Europe Information includes interesting visitors on both days. On Friday at 14.15 at Luokkahuone stage, adventure runner Jukka Viljanen will tell about his preparation for running across Greenland in the spring of 2019, an event coinciding with the culmination of Finland’s Arctic Chairmanship.

A number of other experts in EU matters will visit the stand to discuss topical questions, such as Brexit and Finland’s EU policy. The whole programme can be found on Europe Information’s website.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will put on display plenty of publications that are useful for education purposes. The new map of Europe 2018 and the Member States of the European Union 2018 bookmark will be available at the expo. For teachers, the Development Communications Unit offers information about developments in the world and about the UN’s SDGs. The new content on the World 2030 website, “Climate change and development”, and the 100 achievements of Finland’s development cooperation will also be exhibited. Publications produced by Europe Information and Development Communications can be ordered from the Ministry’s website.

Source: Finland.ee
Find us also on Twitter: @NordenBladet

 

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