NordenBladet — Altogether 29 young people were awarded for participating in the international Award programme (Avartti) for recreational activities. Two gold awards and 27 bronze awards were presented. The prizes were awarded remotely by Minister of Culture and Science Annika Saarikko on 29 April.

The Award is a global framework for 14-24-year-olds, which helps young people grow, participate, engage and act in their community both locally and more broadly in society.

“I would like to congratulate all of you on your commitment to the Award programme and for your perseverance in learning new skills and capabilities. Diligence and an open mind deserve to be rewarded, and today is your turn to celebrate your achievements,” Minister Annika Saarikko said.

Minister Saarikko also thanked the programme for the work done to support young people’s growth.”I trust you feel that the Award has made a difference in you and that you will continue to make a difference in others around you,” said His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO and Chairman of Trustees of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation in his speech to the young people.

When doing the Award, each young person designs and creates their own bespoke programme, choosing recreational activities and goals based on interests unique to them. The programme consists of three levels and four sections. Once the participants have completed their chosen level, they receive recognition in the form of a bronze, silver or gold award as well as an international certificate for participating in the programme.

Internationally, the Award is known as The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. It operates in more than 130 countries and territories. The programme was launched in the United Kingdom in 1956.

Award recipients and their levels:
Gold
Mohammad Kazemi, Kajaani
Yasin Nazari, Kajaani

Bronze
Hamzeh Elsad, Espoo
Ali Elsad, Espoo
Hamzat Dabaev, Espoo
Muhammed Sherzay, Espoo
Mohammed Elsad, Espoo
Vicheth Khoem, Espoo
Khalid Abdikarin, Espoo
Max Perunka, Oulu
Pyry Kylli, Oulu
Annina Virpi, Oulu
Esteri Majuri, Oulu
Pinja Lohi, Oulu
Elias Aho, Muhos
Markus Pakka, Alavus
Alpo Hult, Alavus
Eevert Perälä, Alavus
Rasmus Kauppinen, Alavus
Andrey Bogatenko, Alavus
Niklas Kuusiniemi, Alavus
Zahra Shirzad, Kerava
Yalda Amini, Helsinki
Leila Amini, Helsinki
Fatema Rezaei, Sipoo
Narges Amiri, Helsinki
Maryam Mohammadi, Kerava
Hassan Hosseini, Helsinki
Joona Heikkinen, Suomussalmi

NordenBladet — “Every extra day of this war means more loss of life, more destroyed homes, more refugees, more violence against girls and women, more suffering for civilians.

”In early April, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as an Envoy of High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. This was Minister Haavisto’s second mission to Ethiopia.  During the visit, discussions were held on the situation in Ethiopia, with a focus on the crisis in the Tigray region and the regional repercussions of the conflict. The war started in November 2020, and there is an enormous need for assistance.

At meetings with Ethiopian leaders, Minister Haavisto passed on the EU’s concern about the humanitarian situation in Tigray. He called on the parties to cease hostilities, to show respect for international humanitarian law and international refugee law, and to allow conduct of impartial investigations into alleged human rights violations.

EU’s common message
Haavisto communicated the EU’s common messages to Ethiopia, calling on measures to calm the situation:Civilians should have access to humanitarian assistance without restrictions.

Human rights violations should be thoroughly investigated.

Eritrean soldiers should withdraw to their own region.

The parties should lay down the arms.

Tigray rebels and the Ethiopian government should start discussions.

The work done by Minister Haavisto is an important part of the EU’s efforts to end violence and hostilities in the Tigray region.

NordenBladet — The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The amendment to the decree will enter into force on 30 April at 00.00.

On 29 April, the Government reviewed the set of restrictions on food and beverage service businesses on the basis of the regional epidemiological situation. The restrictions are reviewed weekly. The restrictions have been more lenient for the areas where the epidemic is at a stable level than for the areas worst affected by the epidemic.Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in Åland, South Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, Central Ostrobothnia, North Ostrobothnia, Lapland, North Savo, North Karelia, Central Finland, Ostrobothnia, Satakunta and the Hospital District of South Savo from 30 April 2021Restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have in use half the normal number of customer seats in indoor premises. In other restaurants, 75 per cent of customer seats may be in use in indoor premises. The restriction on the number of customer seats will not apply to Åland.

Restaurants may serve alcoholic beverages until 22.00 and be open to customers between 5.00 and 23.00.In these regions, restaurants must also instruct customers to stay seated in indoor premises. This means that dancing and karaoke, for example, are prohibited in indoor premises.

Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in Kanta-Häme from 23 April
Restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have in use one third of the normal number of customer seats in indoor premises. Other restaurants will be allowed to seat half of their normal number of customers inside their establishments.Restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may serve alcohol until 18.00 and be open to customers between 5.00 and 19.00. Other restaurants may serve alcohol until 19.00 and be open to customers between 5.00 and 20.00.

Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in Uusimaa, Southwest Finland, Pirkanmaa, Päijät-Häme, Kymenlaakso, South Karelia and the Hospital District of East Savo from 23 April Restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have in use one third of the normal number of seats in indoor premises. Other restaurants will be allowed to seat half of their normal number of customers inside their establishments.

They may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 17.00. Restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may be open between 5.00 and 18.00. Other restaurants may be open to customers between 5.00 and 19.00.

Exceptions to restrictions remain unchanged
The restrictions laid down in the decree do not apply to the activities of staff restaurants or to takeaway sales of food to customers.

NordenBladet — Obliged entities, which are entities with reporting and other obligations, do not always examine the background to customers’ transactions or the source of funds adequately enough for the purpose of preventing money laundering. Finland’s national risk assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing finds that all sectors experience challenges in identifying signs of terrorist financing.

The Government, on Thursday 29 April, adopted a government resolution concerning Finland’s national risk assessment and action plan on money laundering and terrorist financing.

The risk assessment examines the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing in Finland by sector. The sectoral division is based on the sectors of obliged entities referred to in the Act on Preventing Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. A general risk level is defined for each sector on a scale of one to four (1 = low risk, 4 = very significant risk).

Source of funds difficult to determine in money remittances and virtual currencies
The sectors with the highest risk of money laundering include money remitters (hawala operators) and virtual currency providers. In international money remittances, the risk is particularly linked to the difficulty of tracing money transfers and determining the source of the money.

Anonymity enabled by some virtual currency services makes it difficult to trace funds and determine their source. The risk is intensified by the high number of transactions and their real time nature.

Credit institutions and payment service providers are at risk level three. Although credit institutions’ risk of money laundering is elevated due to the large volume of payment transactions, the risk is also diminished by the risk management expertise of such institutions. In many sectors, obliged entities place too much trust in the procedures of credit institutions in regard to customer identification and due diligence. Where funds originate from a domestic credit institution, many obliged entities do not themselves adequately examine the customer’s business transactions or the source of the funds.

Money can also be transferred to conflict countries
The sector with the highest risk of terrorist financing is that of money remitters (hawala operators), as their services can also be used to transfer money to conflict countries.All sectors find it challenging to identify and understand signs of terrorist financing. This makes it difficult to detect suspicious activity.

Risks can be reduced through greater information exchange and digitalisation
Finland’s national action plan sets out measures to reduce the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing. The plan covers the period 2021–2023.

The strategic priorities of the action plan are to:raise general awareness of money laundering and terrorist financingenhance information exchange and statistical compilation and further develop the national legislationensure that registers used by public authorities and obliged entities are up to date and have appropriate contentreduce the most significant individual risks highlighted in the risk assessmentfurther develop digitalisation in supervising the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing and in risk management.

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior have coordinated the preparation of the national risk assessment and national action plan. The risk assessment is based on the Act on Preventing Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing. Both the EU and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) have recommended the preparation of a risk assessment and an action plan.

In the Government Programme, the Government, for the purpose of combating money laundering and terrorist financing, undertakes to secure sufficient resources for the authorities concerned, improve the exchange of information and intensify surveillance.

NordenBladet — This year is the third time that the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will award the International Gender Equality Prize. The prize is indeed noteworthy, EUR 300,000. Candidates to re-ceive the prize may be nominated until 16 May 2021.

The prize is awarded to a person or organisation that has advanced gender equality in a globally significant way. The recipient will then forward the money to a cause or organisation that will strengthen gender equality.

The first prize in 2017 was awarded to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is one of the most influential women in the world and a role model for many women and girls. In 2019 the prize was awarded to Equality Now, an organisation that defends the rights of women world-wide. Anyone is welcome to nominate a candidate. Use the link below to submit your proposal (in English)

.Nominate a candidate for the 2021 International Gender Equality Prize

NordenBladet — Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will attend the EU development ministers’ informal video conference on 29 April 2021.

The ministers will discuss the future of the European financial architecture for development (EFAD). The meeting will build on the debate held at EU finance ministers meeting on 16 April.

NordenBladet — On 28 April 2021, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment received an update from Fennovoima Oy related to information in its construction licence application for the Hanhikivi 1 nuclear power plant. In the update, the company describes the key developments that have taken place in the project since 2015 when the company submitted the application to build the plant.

Fennovoima submitted a construction licence application to the Government on 30 June 2015 and an updated version on 5 August 2015. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment organised a consultation round on the matter at that time. The document submitted today updates the information related to Fennovoima’s application. In accordance with the Nuclear Energy Act, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment prepares the decision on a construction licence for the Government. The decision requires that the future safety assessment by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority is positive and that all the conditions required by the Act are met.

NordenBladet — Once again, the conferral of Mother’s Day medals will be postponed due to the COVID situation.

As in previous years, the President of the Republic will confer a Medal First Class with Gold Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland to several mothers for their merits as educators. Because of the prevailing COVID situation, however, the traditional decoration ceremony cannot be organised on Mother’s Day proper this year either.

The decorations of both 2021 and 2020 are expected to be handed over at regional events organised by the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare on the Universal Children’s Day on 20 November 2021. The Chancery of the Orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Lion of Finland will publish the names of the decorated mothers on its website on 28 April 2021.

Orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Lion of Finland
The mothers who will receive this decoration have been informed in person.This year marks the 75th time that Mother’s Day decorations are distributed in Finland. In celebration of the anniversary year, the Orders will publish on their joint website the names of all the mothers awarded in the course of history, together with other relevant materials.

NordenBladet — On 27 April, Finland offered to provide India with material assistance to help the country in the extremely difficult COVID-19 crisis. Finland is prepared to send oxygen concentrators to India via the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism.

“Finland considers it important that we respond to India’s request for assistance. An international request for assistance tells about the severity of the coronavirus situation and the depth of the crisis in the healthcare system,” says Kimmo Kohvakka, Director General for Rescue Services at the Ministry of the Interior.

“India is one of the EU’s strategic partners in Asia. The partnership involves solidarity at critical times. India helped other countries of the world by donating and exporting COVID-19 vaccines manufactured in the country. Finland and the EU are willing to help India,” says Piritta Asunmaa, Director General of the Department for the Americas and Asia at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

“Finland’s response to the request for assistance is an excellent example of the good cooperation between public authorities and business in security of supply and material preparedness. This helps to ensure that Finland is well prepared for and capable of providing assistance to others in distress, says Jaakko Pekki, Director at the National Emergency Supply Agency.

India asks the EU to send material assistance in the form of oxygen concentrators and medical supplies
India has requested support through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to tackle the COVID-19 crisis, which has overburdened the country’s healthcare system. Medical supplies and oxygen are currently in short supply and hospitals are not able to admit new patients. India has reported over 16 million cases associated with COVID-19 and nearly 200,000 deaths.

The Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the National Emergency Supply Agency and Oy Linde Gas Ab, which will provide the oxygen concentrators, have prepared Finland’s response to the request for assistance together. The European Commission is coordinating the pooling of assistance and supports Member States in the arrangement of logistics and in transport costs.

NordenBladet — In its plenary session on Tuesday 27 April, the Government issued decrees repealing the use of powers under the Emergency Powers Act and declared that the current situation in the country no longer constitutes a state of emergency under section 3 of the Emergency Powers Act. In the Government’s view, the COVID-19 epidemic can now be managed using the regular powers of the authorities.

Over the past five weeks, there has been a clear decrease in the number of new cases of COVID-19, which is a sign that the epidemic is currently winding down in Finland. Increased vaccination coverage also lessens the risk of more serious cases of the disease. According to an assessment of the current situation by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the regular powers of the authorities are sufficient to combat the COVID-19 epidemic and to safeguard the carrying capacity of the healthcare system.

The President of the Republic and the Prime Minister have discussed ceasing the application of the Emergency Powers Act.

The end of the state of emergency does not mean that the COVID-19 epidemic is over or that we will not see a resurgence in cases. The significance of the decision is that the powers under the Emergency Powers Act will no longer be used. In line with the Government’s hybrid strategy, other legislative powers will continue to be applied – in particular those laid down in the Communicable Diseases Act, but also the Border Guard Act – along with other legislation for normal conditions. In addition, the situation is being managed through regulations, guidelines and recommendations issued by the authorities.

That said, the number of COVID-19 remains high enough that the situation may deteriorate again if contacts between people increase significantly and the virus is able to spread more freely in the population. With this in mind, it is very important to comply with the restrictions and recommendations currently in force.

It is also possible to reintroduce the powers laid down in the Emergency Powers Act as a last resort if the epidemiological situation so requires. This would first require declaring a state of emergency again.

Decrees in force under the Emergency Powers Act repealed
In its plenary session on 27 April, the Government adopted decrees repealing the powers adopted due to the state of emergency:the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and regional state administrative agencies may guide and supervise the operations of healthcare and social welfare units (section 86 of the Emergency Powers Act)municipalities may temporarily deviate from the time limits for non-urgent care (section 88 of the Emergency Powers Act)the Prime Minister’s Office may manage and coordinate communications in emergencies (section 106, subsection 1 of the Emergency Powers Act)the Government has the right to resolve disputes and interpretations concerning the use of powers (section 107 of the Emergency Powers Act)At the same time, the Government repealed the decree issued under section 88 of the Emergency Powers Act, which allowed deviations from the time limits for non-urgent care in specialised healthcare and in specialised care provided in connection with primary healthcare in the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS).

The Government decide on the state of emergency in its plenary session on 1 March 2021. Based on its decision, Finland was in a state of emergency as referred to in section 3, paragraph 5 of the Emergency Powers Act. Section 3, paragraph 5 of the Emergency Powers Act states that a widespread outbreak of a serious infectious disease, the effect of which is comparable to a major disaster, meets the definition of a state of emergency.

The state of emergency was declared because earlier this year, Finland experienced a considerable increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases. The number of cases continued to increase at an alarming rate despite the restrictive measures.