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Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen to EU development ministers’ meeting

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —  An Informal meeting of EU development ministers will be organised in Brussels on 20 February 2018. Finland’s representative at the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen. The ministers will discuss, among other things, EU’s financial instruments for external action after 2020, on which decisions will be made in the forthcoming negotiations concerning the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

Finland considers it important that the EU’s financial instruments for external action respond to the current needs and support the political priorities of the EU better than before. “The EU must retain its lead role in development cooperation matters, and assistance must be channelled to those who need it the most. Special attention must be paid to impact and effectiveness,” Minister Virolainen says.

The EU’s actions on migration are currently financed from multiple sources.  Finland emphasises the development of coordination between different financial instruments as a way to avoid overlap and to increase the efficiency of the activities.

The EU is shaping its relationship with the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries (ACP) up to the present time. The cooperation is based on the Cotonou Agreement, which will expire in 2020. Finland considers that the relations between the EU and the ACP countries should be in line with the goals of the 2030 Agenda and the priorities of the new European Consensus on Development. The special treatment accorded to the ACP countries should end and the partnership should be open to all developing countries that commit themselves to the principles of the agreement that concern human rights and democracy. The EU is to reach agreement about the negotiation mandate when the Foreign Affairs (Development) Council (FAC) meets on 22 May 2018, because the Post-Cotonou negotiations with the ACP will start in August 2018.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has made a proposal to establish a new subsidiary focusing on development finance to boost the use and allocation of EIB resources and to enhance the visibility of the EIB in third countries. Finland is prepared to look into the proposal in more detail when further information is available on the structure and possible administrative scenarios of the proposal.

At lunch, ministers will discuss the reform of the UN development system with Achim Steiner, Administrator of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Source: Finland.ee
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Estonian cinematographer Mart Taniel wins American Society of Cinematographers’ Spotlight award

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Estonian cinematographer Mart Taniel won the American Society of Cinematographers’ Spotlight award for his work on Rainer Sarnet’s 2017 film November. Spotlight is the ASC’s award for professionals from outside the United States.

Other nominees included Máté Herbai with On Body and Soul as well as Mikhail Krichman with Loveless. Both films are also nominated for an Academy Award.

The American Society of Cinematographers’ awards are the year’s biggest event in this particular profession.

Source: News.err.ee

Foreign Minister Soini to Japan and South Korea

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —  On 20–27 February, Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will visit Tokyo, Seoul and the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. In Tokyo Minister Timo Soini will meet the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Taro Kono. The ministers will discuss bilateral relations on the basis of the joint statement on the strategic partnership between the countries given in 2016. Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Finland and Japan. The ministers will also talk about the relations between the EU and Japan, Russia, situation in the Korean Peninsula, and closer cooperation in multilateral issues.

During the visit Minister Soini will also meet representatives of the Japanese Parliamentary Friendship Group with Finland and talk at an event of the Japan National Press Club (JNPC).  All national and local media representatives are members of the JNPC. In his speech Minister Soini will highlight the importance of a rule-based international order.

From Tokyo Minister Soini will travel to Seoul. During the visit to South Korea Soini will meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea Kang Kyung-wha. The topics to be discussed include bilateral relations between Finland and South Korea and the situation in the Korean Peninsula. This is the first meeting between the two Foreign Ministers, and the aim is to further strengthen Finland’s relations with South Korea.

Also on the agenda is a visit to the demilitarised zone between South and North Korea and to the South Korean Parliament and meetings with other experts on the situation in the Korean Peninsula. Foreign Minister Soini will also visit the XXIII Winter Olympics in PyeongChang in South Korea.

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

 

Compilation of biographies featuring judges and prosecutors is ready for readers

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The compilation titled “Kohtunikud, kohtu-uurijad ja prokurörid 1918–1940” (Judges, Court Investigators and Prosecutors 1918–1940) will be given as a present by the Supreme Court and the Office of the Prosecutor General to a hundred libraries and information centres, in order to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. The new lexicon comprises the careers and biographies of 387 judges and prosecutors who were in office during this time period, and it was compiled by the legal historian Toomas Anepaio. The lexicon is published in Estonian.

The book contains photographs and biographical data about the judges and prosecutors of the independent Republic of Estonia including their: date and place of birth, education and career including their military service, awards, memberships in associations, and the repression suffered by the persons in question as well as by their families. Priit Pikamäe, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, said that quite a few of the judges found the courage to stand up to the regime at that time, and the lexicon is partly a nod of recognition to the loved ones of these judges and prosecutors, many of whom were subject to repression because their fathers or husbands held the position of a judge or a prosecutor.

“I sincerely hope that, in the near future, all the judges and prosecutors who have worked in Estonia will receive a mention – a second volume of the lexicon could concentrate on the period of occupation, while a third might name those judges who assumed office from 1991,” said Pikamäe. “The first prosecutor in Estonia began working in a court a hundred years ago. This was probably considered to be the best way for the court to get the highest quality evidence as a basis for the administration of justice,” said Lavly Perling, the Prosecutor General.

She added that, over time, the prosecutors moved away from the court in terms of constitutional law and they are now a part of the nation’s executive power. The independence of the courts and the equal treatment of judges are considered to be important cornerstones in the administration of justice. “All the same, we are still connected by the umbilical cord of law, so to speak. The prosecutors still have a duty to ensure the best conditions for the high quality administration of justice that will increase people’s trust, through presenting evidence that is acceptable to the court and through sound charges,” said Perling.

The lexicon was presented on 9 February at the Judicial Conference of Estonia and will also be presented on 6 April at the Prosecutors’ Assembly. The book is available for purchase through the website of the University of Tartu Press at www.tyk.ee. The lexicon will be delivered to the one hundred libraries and information centres – including those in every Estonian town and county – during the coming months.

Source: Riigikohus.ee
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Merikasarmi lit up in February in honour of Lithuania and Estonia

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will illuminate the seaside façade of Merikasarmi, its main building, on 16 February to mark the 100th anniversary of Lithuania’s independence and on 24 February for Estonia’s 100th anniversary.

Merikasarmi is architect Carl Ludvig Engel’s first major architectural design in Helsinki. The Foreign Ministry’s main building was completed in 1820. The illumination is a part of the Ministry’s own centenary celebrations. The façade of Merikasarmi was also illuminated in blue and white in honour of Finland’s 100 years of independence in 2017.

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

 

Foreign Minister Soini to attend EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Sofia

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —  The informal meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers (Gymnich) will be held in Sofia on 15-16 February. Finland’s representative in the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini. The topics on the agenda are North Korea, security and defence, the Western Balkans and Syria.

In the talks about North Korea the focus will be on recent events and the EU policy on North Korea.

The ministers will also discuss the situation in Western Balkans on the basis of the Commission strategy concerning the Western Balkans. The discussion on Syria will take place in light of recent developments in the country and preparations relating to the envisaged EU Conference on Syria.

The tradition is that the Foreign Ministers of the EU candidate countries (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey) attend some of the sessions of the informal meeting. In Sofia they will participate in the talks about security and defence issues.

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

 

Helena Liikanen-Renger appointed as Press Officer in Washington

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — The Ministry for Foreign Affairs appointed Helena Liikanen-Renger to serve as Press Officer at the Embassy of Finland in Washington, starting on 1 June 2018. The post will be a fixed-term appointment ending on 31 May 2021.

Helena Liikanen-Renger will transfer to the United States from France, where she is currently working as a freelancer journalist and writer. She gained experience of the media in the United States while she attended a Master’s programme in specialised journalism in California.

Helena Liikanen-Renger has worked as a journalist in both the printed and electronic media for twenty years. Her career includes working as a news editor and producer. She specialises in social media Liikanen-Renger holds a Master of Social Sciences degree and a Master’s degree in specialised journalism.

Her strengths include a long and diverse experience of communications as well as a fresh perspective to the content of her new tasks. The Press Officer is responsible for the embassy’s external communications, social media, and media relations. In addition, she will be in charge of the Finland programmes targeted to the US Congress and of the overall coordination of contacts with the Congress. The tasks will include country brand work and media arrangements related to visits at political level and visits by opinion-makers. The Press Officer is the embassy’s communications team leader.

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

 

Minister Anne-Mari Virolainen to attend the International Conference of Iraq Reconstruction and Development in Kuwait

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet —  An International Conference of Iraq Reconstruction and Development will be held in Kuwait from 12 to 14 February. The World Bank, the UN and the EU have supported the making of reconstruction plans for Iraq which will be published at the conference. Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen will attend the high-level segment of the conference on 14 February.

The wars have caused immense destruction in Iraq and, therefore, also the reconstruction needs are massive. Because of the war against ISIL and earlier conflicts, a large part of the country is in ruins. As a rich oil producing country Iraq is able to do a great deal with its own assets but it also needs external help. As a result of conflicts and the downturn trend in global oil prices, Iraq’s revenues from oil production are only a fraction of what they were before.

Iraq belongs to Europe’s neighbouring areas and its future development will therefore affect also Finland. It is important for Finland that Iraq’s internal situation and security stabilise and democracy will be established and developed further. In addition to reconstruction, Iraq will need help to improve its humanitarian situation, stabilise the areas recaptured from ISIL as soon as possible and carry out mine clearing, among other things.

The conference in Kuwait will place special focus on the ratio of private sector investments in reconstruction. The Finnish Delegation to the conference will consist of, for example, Finnfund and a number of companies. Iraq is a long-standing and traditional business partner for Finland, and the reconstruction process will open significant business opportunities for Finnish companies.

Since 2014, Finland has used close to EUR 18 million from development cooperation appropriations to support Iraq. The support has been allocated for humanitarian aid, stabilisation of the areas recaptured from ISIL and humanitarian mine action.

Source: Finland.ee
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BIG GALLERY: Tourest 2018 travel trade fair in Tallinn, Estonia

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Tourest is the oldest and largest travel trade fair in the Baltic countries that has been organized by the Estonian Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (ETFL) since 1991. It covers all the main travel segments, offering efficient platform to meet face to face the travel-hungry consumers and the majority of the market’s travel trade professionals who make the purchase decisions. It’s the optimum environment to present your products at the start of the season.

Tourest 2018, organized already for the 27th time, nearly 30 000 visitors wil be expected, who will have a great possibility to familiarize with the over 500 exhibitors from ca 30 countries.

Estonia is a growing market. 26 years of independence have not come close to satisfying the ever-growing motivation for travel and the need for exciting new destinations. In 2016 the number of visits to different countries abroad exceeded the population 3 times.

Nearly 8000 m2 of exhibition area of the Estonian Fairs exhibition centre, located on a pictureresque shore of the Gulf of Finland, is divided into three exhibition halls.

“The Main Hall” accommodates Estonian and international tour operators, travel agencies, transportation and insurance companies, educational institutions, hotels, leisure companies, etc. A special “Global Village” area has been reserved for different international destinations.

“Travellers’ Club” seminar area offers an inspirational programme of different travel destinations. It will definitely be one of the highlights at Tourest 2018 as well as a chance to enhance visibility as a destination.

“Travel ABC” is another seminar area in the Main Hall, where interesting topics connected to travelling will be discussed.

The hall “Visit Estonia!” lines up Estonian national tourism regions and attractions.

In the hall “Taste Estonia!” one finds a large selection of Estonian authentic food and cafeterias offered by Estonian Culinary Route. You could treat yourself during the long days of exhibiton and buy presents for those back at home. On top of that a colourful programme could be enjoyed on the main stage, with games and auctions. There will be a special area and acitivites for kids, organized by the Põlvamaa county.

TOUREST IS OPEN:

Friday, Feb 9 12:00-18:00
Saturday, Feb 10 10:00-18:00
Sunday, Feb 11 10:00-15:00
















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Fotod: NordenBladet/Helena-Reet Ennet

High earners benefit most from Danish tax plan: thinktank Cepos

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Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Taxpayers in Denmark who earn over 600,000 kroner (81,000 euros) annually will benefit most from three major agreements made between the government and conservative allies in recent months, according to an analysis.

The conclusion is based on calculations by thinktanks Cepos, reports financial newspaper Børsen. Since November, the coalition government has reached agreement with parliamentary ally the Danish People’s Party for a business stimulus package, new budget and, most recently, tax reforms. The three deals provide tax cuts totalling around eight billion kroner (1.1 billion euros). According to Cepos’ calculations, a company director who earns 1.2 million kroner (160,000 euros) annually will benefit most from the three economic packages in terms of raw savings. The hypothetical director would save 10,625 kroner annually, while an employee with an annual wage of 600,000 kroner (80,000 euros) could see tax savings of 9,550 kroner.

Lower earners will also save, but to smaller extents, according to the analysis conducted by Cepos.

Source: thelocal.dk

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