Summary: A controversial speech by a Finns Party MP at a city council meeting in Tampere leads to calls for a review of the rules governing council debates.

Helsingin Sanomat's main story on Wednesday morning  concerns  a difference of opinion between two of Finland's top pandemic specialists over how safe it currently is to travel to Estonia or the other Baltic nations.
 Pasi Pohjola  of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health tells HS that Finnish authorities have been monitoring the rapidly deteriorating pandemic situation in Estonia "with concern".
 "I think it is worth considering whether Estonia is now the best place to travel to. It is possible to bring infections across borders, even if the health safety measures at the border are working well," Pohjola said.
 However, public health agency THL's Director of Health Security  Mika Salminen  believes fully-vaccinated people can make trips across the Baltic Sea.
 "You shouldn’t travel anywhere without being vaccinated. But you can trust in the vaccine. It doesn't really matter whether the vaccinated person is exposed to the virus in Finland or abroad," Salminen said, but added a note of caution that Covid restrictions may be soon returning to Finland's southern neighbour.
 Covid cases are also rising in Finland, HS notes, especially among unvaccinated people. The infection rate among those who have yet to receive both doses is about 700 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks, while the rate for the whole population is 137 cases
 "It's unrealistic to think that infection rates would start to fall permanently. They will remain on average either at the same level or start to increase towards winter, because we still have a large section of the population that can be exposed to a coronavirus infection," Salminen told HS.
 Finns Party MP's anti-immigrant speech
 Tampere-based Aamulehti continues to  follow the fallout  from a controversial speech by city councillor and Finns Party MP  Veikko Vallin  during a council debate on the issue of asylum seekers on Monday evening.
 Aamulehti had  previously reported  that many of the councillors present found Vallin's comments to be "offensive and racist" as the MP spoke about the harmful effects of immigration, listed crimes committed by foreigners and claimed that the largest rental apartments in Tampere are given to immigrants.
 Council chair  Ilmari Nurminen  (SDP) told the paper that he had limited powers to intervene, adding that the rules on what can and can't be said in council sessions should be reviewed.
 "I had three lawyers present, and I enquired if some crime had been committed here that I could interrupt his speech. And their official position was that I couldn't interrupt, that no obvious crime had taken place," Nurminen said.
 City council lawyer  Jouko Aarnio  told Aamulehti that whether Vallin broke the law or not is a matter for the authorities.
 "Whether the content of the speeches was perceived as offensive or inappropriate is a topic for discussion among team leaders about the rules of the game," Aarnio said.
 Ireland clip Owls' wings
 Tabloid Iltalehti  describes  how Finland's disappointing 2-1 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in the Women’s World Cup qualifying group A at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki has poured a "cold shower" over their qualification hopes.
 Helsingin Sanomat meanwhile  writes  that the  Helmarit 's — or the Boreal Owls' — first competitive game back at the home of Finnish football after an absence of eight years drew an impressive crowd of over 5,000 spectators, which the paper says demonstrates the "development of girls' and women's football in Finland".
 "The majority of the audience were clearly young girls, which is also a good sign for the [Finnish] Football Association. There are more and more new fans and players emerging in different parts of Finland," HS writes, adding that there are now 36,500 registered female players in the country, an all-time high.
 The occasion also marked 50 years of organised women's football in Finland, but the Irish team were intent on being party poopers, not props.
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 Ireland's players celebrate their victory at the end of Tuesday evening's game in Helsinki. imago images/Inpho Photography/ All Over Press
 An early goal from  Megan Connolly  gave Ireland the lead, and although  Adelina Engman  equalised for Finland with an excellent half-volley finish, Ireland regained their advantage very soon after when  Denise O'Sullivan  stooped low to nod the ball home from two yards.
 Finland pushed their opponents to the very end, but could not break down a resolute Irish defence. Despite the defeat, the  Helmarit  remain in second place in the group but now must prepare for their next game against neighbours, table-toppers and the second best team in the world, Sweden, on 25 November in Gothenburg.

Wednesday's papers: Tallinn travel, council controversy and World Cup woes


Summary: Some of the fake messages also refer to Covid passes and vaccination certificates.

The Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) has issued a warning that emails purporting to come from the healthcare platform OmaKanta were being sent to residents in attempts to steal their personal information.
 The emails appear to come from OmaKanta and contain a link that, if followed, leads to a website set up by criminals, according to Kela.
 The phishing emails can look to be very urgent, with prompts to immediately log in to the healthcare platform to check important documents. Some of the messages also refer to Covid passes and vaccination certificates.
 Kela advised residents to only log in to OmaKanta via its official website, kanta.fi, noting that neither the healthcare platform nor Kela sends customers messages that prompt them to log in via a link.
 The agency also recommended people not to reply to such emails, not to click on links contained in such messages and not to enter personal information on sites reached through those links. Kela warned people not to log in to Omakanta directly through search engine results, nor via links contained in text messages.
 Kela said that if people suspect their credit card details or bank ID number has fallen into the wrong hands, they should contact their bank's customer service and report the matter to police.

OmaKanta email phishing scam circulating, Kela warns


Summary: According to the Interior Ministry and the sector's two main organisations, an overhaul of the working culture within the sector is required to tackle the issue.

The Ministry of the Interior, the Finnish National Rescue Association (SPEK) and the Finnish Association of Fire Officers (SPPL) have all strongly condemned reports of sexual harassment in the emergency services sector.
 The ministry and the organisations were responding to an investigation conducted by Yle, which uncovered evidence that sexual harassment, misogyny and even overt hatred of women were rife within the sector.
 In addition, an Instagram account called  Emergencyservicestoo , set up in August, has compiled nearly one hundred anonymous reports of verbal harassment, sexual harassment and even rape associated with emergency services operations.
 However, Yle also discovered that official complaints have rarely been made to employers or management.
 "The matter is very serious and I am very sorry that all of this has happened," said  Kimmo Kohvakka , Director of the Interior Ministry's Emergency Services Unit.
 The issue is also being taken seriously by organisations within the sector, with SPEK's Development Manager  Niko Ara  and SPPL's Executive Director  Ari Keijonen  both telling Yle they agree with Kohvakka that all forms of harassment must be tackled and eradicated.
 However, all three added that this will require a huge amount of work, as the problem appears to affect the entire industry's working culture.
 Harassment cases previously reported
 The emergency services sector has only started to investigate workers' reports of harassment in recent years, as previous surveys also revealed evidence of the problem.
 However, Keljonen of the Finnish Association of Fire Officers SPPL told Yle the industry has so far lacked the necessary tools to identify and eliminate cases of workplace harassment.
 "Unfortunately, it has to be said that no part of our sector has been able to prevent harassment comprehensively," he said.
 The association provides in-service training courses to emergency sector workers, and Keljonen said this training must in future also cover topics such as equality, diversity and discrimination.
 The responsibility of the supervisor to intervene in cases of harassment must also increase in the future, he added.
 The extent and seriousness of sexual harassment within the sector have only really been brought to attention, and for wider discussion, because of the Emergencyservicestoo account, according to Keljonen. The ministry's Kohvakka and SPEK's Ara agreed with this assessment.
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 Emergency and first aid services have traditionally been a male-dominated sector. However, the proportion of women working in the industry has been growing steadily since the beginning of the 2000s, but still women only make up 12 percent of the sector's estimated 5,700 employees. Antti Haanpää / Yle
 The cases of harassment, as detailed by the Instagram account, clearly show that measures taken so far to tackle the problem have been insufficient, Kohvakka pointed out.
 SPEK's Ara agreed, further adding that the issues have not been addressed with the level of seriousness that they should have been.
 The Interior Minister is therefore currently preparing an equality and non-discrimination programme, Kohvakka added, which will inform workers and volunteers how to act in situations of harassment and to whom to report incidents.
 Change in work culture is needed
 Yle interviewed a number of emergency service workers about the culture of harassment within the sector, and heard that sexually suggestive comments are often excused as "firefighting humour" that a member of the work community is expected to tolerate.
 The ministry, as well as the sector's two main organisations, all said that they were aware that these kinds of comments are prevalent within the industry, and that a change in the working culture is required.
 "Whether you are a professional or a volunteer, you have to look in the mirror and consider how your own behaviour might feel to another person," Ara said, adding that his association SPEK intends to introduce further training aimed at changing the current work culture.
 Workers interviewed by Yle also said that many within the sector do not dare to report cases of harassment. According to Ara, it is now necessary to find out why this is so in order to encourage workers to speak up in the future.

Yle investigation uncovers widespread sexual harassment within emergency services sector


Summary: Two reports published on Wednesday show a drop in the previously high confidence levels in the Finnish economy, but the overall outlook remains strong.

Consumer confidence in the Finnish economy has declined during the month of October, according to preliminary figures published on Wednesday by Statistics Finland.
 However, despite the drop, the agency noted that the level "remained strong" at 2.7, having hit 6.0 in September and 4.0 in August.
 The long-term average for the consumer confidence indicator (CCI) therefore now stands at -1.7, based on interviews conducted with 1,025 people between 1 and 19 October.
 Confidence in the economy within the business sector also remained strong, according to a report by the employers' lobby group the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK), but the outlook has weakened from earlier in the autumn.
 EK's latest cyclical barometer suggests that many in the business industry sense the economic recovery is  beginning to slow .
 "The strongest phase of recovery from the coronavirus crisis is starting to lag, because the recovery from the deepest pit began over a year ago," EK director  Sami Pakarinen  said in a press release.
 "When an economy recovers, the availability of skilled labour can be lacking, and other problems caused by global supply disruptions and rising costs have also presented obstacles to growth. All of these are now putting sand in the wheels of the economy."
 The hospitality and tourism sectors have especially faced challenges, EK noted, as people in Finland are beginning to travel abroad again but very few tourists are coming to Finland.
 EK's Director General  Jyri Häkämies  said he considers increasing vaccination coverage to be the one of the most important current issues for helping the Finnish economy further recover from the Covid crisis.
 "We have to catch up with others again, because here we have been left behind," Häkämies wrote in the confederation's press release. "As an alternative to restrictions, a Covid passport should have been prepared in the spring so that it could have been introduced earlier. It would have also encouraged more people to get vaccinated."
 Consumers expect prices to rise
 According to Statistics Finland's data, consumers are preparing for  prices to start rising , especially as Finland's inflation rate  continues  to increase.
 However, the survey also found that consumers' expectations and views concerning their own financial situation remained relatively unchanged from the  highs  of previous months, with many respondents saying they plan to either buy a new home, renovate their current home or buy a car over the coming 12 months.
 As usual, confidence was clearly at its strongest level in the Helsinki metropolitan area while it was weakest in Eastern Finland. Retired people had the most pessimistic view of the future, while white-collar workers were the most optimistic.

Consumer, business confidence dips during October


Summary: Although many firms are beginning to recover from the Covid crisis, there are still many challenges facing the Finnish economy.

Finnish companies revealed their third quarter results this week, with gains seen by some and losses endured by others.
 Posti
 Adjusted operating profits for state postal firm Posti weakened in July-September to 14 million euros, compared to nearly 17 million euros in Q3 of last year. Meanwhile, its net sales increased by 1.9 percent to 388.5 million euros.
 Posti said that the number of parcels it shipped within Finland and to the Baltic countries increased by 13 percent year-on-year, to 17 million shipments. The number of letters it delivered saw a continued decline of 8 percent to 85 million letters during Q3, compared to 93 million letters the same time last year.
 Posti's CEO,  Turkka Kuusisto , said there are hundreds of job vacancies and the company is constantly looking for new employees.
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 File photo of Posti worker. Sami Takkinen / Yle
 OP Financial Group
 Finnish cooperative banking giant OP Financial Group saw continued strong results in Q3, with pre-tax earnings rising to 297 million euros, compared to 239 million euros the same period last year.
 Since the beginning of this year, OP's pre-tax profits have increased by as much as 63 percent to 858 million euros, compared to 526 million euros last year during the same time period.
 OP's president and CEO,  Timo Ritakallio , said that all three of the bank's business segments, including retail- and corporate banking as well as insurance, had significantly improved the results.
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 OP headquarters in Helsinki. Petteri Bülow / Yle
 Neste
 Oil refining and marketing firm Neste saw a slight decrease in profit during the third quarter, with 368 million this year compared to 373 million in Q3 of last year. Meanwhile, comparable operating profits within its renewable products also declined to 300 million euros, down from 352 million euros last year.
 Neste CEO  Peter Vanacker  said future prospects were not clear due to uncertainty about the Covid crisis and its impact on the global economy.
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 Neste plant in Porvoo. Stefan Härus / Yle
 Sanoma Corporation
 Finland's largest media group, Sanoma, saw net sales increase to 486 million euros during Q3, and the firm also saw profits as its operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA) grew by nearly one third to 147 million euros.
 Sanoma's net sales increased by more than 20 percent in absolute terms and eight percent in comparable figures. The increase was attributed to the acquisition of Spanish education materials firm Santillana and strong growth within Sanoma's Media Finland company.
 The firm also announced that its board of directors decided to issue a second installment of dividends to shareholders, amounting to 26 cents per share.
 On Tuesday several other major Finnish companies issued their Q3 results.
 Valmet
 Pulp, paper and energy industry supplier Valmet saw an 18 percent year-on-year improvement, with total profits of 107 million euros. Net sales grew by 12 percent compared to the last quarter to 935 million euros.
 Valmet said the short-term outlook was good for services, automation, pulp, board and paper but it noted that the outlook within its energy sector was weak.
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 Valmet logo on window. Jussi Nukari / Lehtikuva
 UPM
 Forestry products company UPM said Q3 was its best-ever, with comparable operating results doubling that of the same quarter last year, seeing profits of 424 million euros. The company also said net sales increased by 24 percent, compared to Q3 last year.
 UPM said its future success depends on the pace of the world's economic recovery.
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 UPM tag on timber. Petteri Bülow / Yle
 Finnair
 A longtime sufferer of the coronavirus crisis and with most of its aircraft standing still, national airline Finnair reported its sixth quarterly loss in a row.
 The company's net sales increased by more than 104 percent from Q3 last year, to 199.4 million euros. However, net sales were still down by 41.6 percent during January-September compared to the same period last year.
 Finnair attributed its continued difficulties to travel restrictions not being lifted as quickly as anticipated, causing a delay in demand for flights. The problem was particularly acute in Asia, where restrictions are expected to open up months after Europe loosens the rules.
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 Finnair plane on tarmac. Silja Viitala / Yle
 Wärtsilä
 Finnish marine and energy market manufacturer Wärtsilä saw significant improvement in operating profits, with 87 million euros in operating results during Q3, an increase of 43 percent over the same period last year.
 Wärtsilä's net sales increased by 11 percent during July-September, compared to Q3 of last year.
 The company said that market conditions continued to cause uncertainty, but added that it anticipated demand will be significantly improved in Q4, compared to the corresponding period last year.
 Wärtsilä logo on building. Juha Kivioja / Yle

Some Finnish firms see gains, others continued losses in Q3


Summary: The news agency said the government is reviewing how restrictions could be extended before they expire at the end of the month.

Citing government sources, news agency STT reported on Wednesday that Finland's government parties have unanimously agreed that coronavirus-related restaurant and bar restrictions should be extended after they are scheduled to expire at the end of this month.
 The news agency said the government is reviewing this week how the restrictions could be extended.
 The government parties are concerned about the strain Covid patients have placed on hospitals, and do not think it is realistic to fully lift the restrictions as previously planned
 However, establishments located in areas with the worst epidemic situation, that have taken the Covid pass system into use, have been able to avoid restrictions on opening hours, alcohol sales and customer capacities.
 The basic purpose of the Covid pass is to allow businesses, such as restaurants or gyms, to circumvent regional coronavirus restrictions by ensuring that customers have been fully vaccinated against the virus, have recently tested negative or have recovered from the virus.
 Goal: 80 percent
 The government has previously vowed to completely lift coronavirus-related restrictions after 80 percent of the population over the age of 12 have received Covid vaccines.
 The Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) has estimated that Finland could reach the 80 percent vaccination level by next week.
 According to the government hybrid strategy to fight Covid, national restrictions will be dismantled at the point vaccination levels reach 80 percent. But at the same time, there is a shift at local levels to combat the spread of the virus.
 Last week THL issued a statement to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health saying infection risks were very significant at establishments serving alcohol late into the night, such as bars and nightclubs, particularly for people who have not been vaccinated.

STT: Bar, restaurant restrictions to be extended


Summary: The NBI is following leads outside of Europe and has ruled out several suspects in the data breach.

The National Bureau of Investigation announced on Wednesday that it has made significant progress in its probe of the massive data breach at psychotherapy centre Vastaamo.
 In October 2020, the privately-run centre announced that the sensitive  information of about 30,000 patients had been stolen  by hackers who then tried to extort money from the company and its customers. Information entered into their system after 2018 had not been compromised.
 At a press conference on October 27, investigation director  Marko Leponen  said the NBI was following leads outside of Europe and that the agency has ruled out several suspects. No arrests have been made, but Leponen said he thinks the crime can still be solved.
 "New clues are constantly being discovered and we are on the right trail. At some point, the suspect or suspects will get caught, but I can’t speculate if this will happen next week or a year from now," Leponen said.
 Victims able to file statements electronically
 Because of the unusually large number of victims, those who have filed criminal reports will need to make their full statements in writing, on a form to be filed with police electronically.
 The form will be available on the police's website starting on Wednesday October 27 at 4pm and victims will be able to file their statements until the end of January 2022.
 Police noted that without first filing a criminal report, victims cannot be heard in the matter.
 "The goal is to make the electronic statement easy to complete, and thus be heard. The form is located on the police's own platform, making it safe to submit. It is worth filling out the form, because this way you stay involved in the process and get an opportunity to make a claim in the matter," Leponen says.
 For security reasons, the police will not send invitations or links to the parties involved. Should one receive a message sent on behalf of the police or a link to fill out a form regarding the matter, it is not authentic and the link in the message should not be opened, police warned.
 The law enforcement agency also urged those involved to go directly to their website by typing  www.poliisi.fi  and not through search engines or links, to avoid being misdirected.

NBI make "significant progress" in Vastaamo data breach, blackmail probe


Summary: The exhibit by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota opens at the Museum of Modern Art in Espoo on 27 October.

A haunting exhibit by Japanese artist  Chiharu Shiota  called  Tracing Boundaries  is sure to spark the imaginations of visitors to the Museum of Modern Art in Espoo (EMMA) this autumn.
 For some, the thin red threads that slither along the walls and ceiling of EMMA evoke an extraterrestrial organism that expands until it eventually invades the entire space.
 Others envision a labyrinth of countless blood-pumping vessels, begging the question, what does the human body look like on the inside?
 The exhibition can be interpreted in many different ways and, according to the artist herself, also stirs up images of horror and sci-fi, even if these were never Shiota's intention when creating the piece.
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 The Tracing Boundaries exhibit consists of tunnels, within which the visitor can explore the installation.   Jussi Mankkinen / Yle
 "This work is in no way intended to be intimidating. Some visitors, however, may sense a presence other than what is in front of them," she says.
 Threads allow for three-dimensional sketching
 The influential Japanese artist, currently based in Berlin, is known for her unique installations using acrylic yarn to create art of great proportions.
 For the exhibition at EMMA, the artist used 350 kilometres of acrylic yarn. To put that into context: the distance between Helsinki and Kuopio is 336 kilometres, as the crow flies.
 Shiota, who studied under celebrated contemporary artist  Marina Abramović , among others, started in traditional painting but later switched to using different materials.
 "I want to draw inside a three-dimensional space, and yarn has become the perfect tool for this. The idea of my work is for the weaving to become so expansive that it results in an installation that no longer looks like it was made out of yarn," Shiota tells Yle.
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 The blood-red color of the yarn often reminds visitors of the insides of a human body.  Jussi Mankkinen / Yle
 With her spectacular works, the artist wants to attract a larger audience to contemporary art, which is often perceived as harder to grasp.
 "The initial reaction to my work is usually one of astonishment: How long did it take to build and how much yarn has been used? After the shock settles, I hope the visitor starts thinking about other significances to the work. I want people to have an epiphany: Contemporary art is interesting," she adds.
 A challenging project
 Constructing the Chiharu Shiota installation for the Espoo Museum of Modern Art EMMA was quite a challenge, according to EMMA museum curator  Arja Miller .
 "The whole project required careful planning. The museum has concrete floors, but for this installation the space had to be covered with a wooden floor in order to attach the yarn," Miller says.
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 The installation forced EMMA to install a new floor.  Jussi Mankkinen / Yle
 A total of thirteen people, the artist included, spent two weeks weaving the 350 kilometres of yarn.
 "I personally find the installation meditative.  Mami Kataoka , who curated Shiota's retrospective exhibition at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, compares her works to typhoons. There is a lot of turbulent energy in this piece, as well. The eye of the storm is in the middle, where there is perfect calm," Miller continues.
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 Art curator Arja Miller calls the installation build challenging.  Jussi Mankkinen / Yle
 Shiota's installation is part of a series of works curated by EMMA and the Saastamoinen Foundation, which aims to provide interesting contemporary artists with a platform for their works.
 "Shiota’s work has hints of surrealism and performance art. In the context of this current exhibit, however, the link to installation art is imperative. She is one of the artists who knows how to process space and transform it into something completely different," Miller says.
 Weaving hundreds of kilometres of yarn into an entity like the  Tracing Boundaries  installation is a meticulous endeavour. It is not hard to imagine that weeks of pedantic work could get on the nerves of an artist, especially if the process becomes monotonous. Indeed, the artist admits that the pain associated with creating a new work of art is inevitable.
 "As I near the completion of each installation, I often think, 'Ok, that’s enough.' But simultaneously I always feel that it is not quite finished. I go through the same pattern with every installation," she says.
 Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota, immersed in her installation Jussi Mankkinen / Yle

Japanese artist uses 300km of string in sprawling EMMA exhibit


Summary: A United Nations report says that if no further action is taken, it's possible that global temperatures will rise by 2.7 degrees Celsius by the end of this century, a scenario which would have devastating consequences.

President  Sauli Niinistö  and the Finnish delegation arrived at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, UK on Monday, with the president scheduled to deliver the country's national statement on Tuesday.
 Leaders and policymakers from around the world are at the conference which was arranged to accelerate reaching the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
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 Members of the Finnish delegation include Minister of the Environment and Climate Change  Krista Mikkonen  (Green), who said on Monday morning that participants in the conference need to send a clear signal that countries are prepared for new and ambitious reductions in emissions on a tight schedule.
 She said that she believes the conference will help to get countries to expedite their climate efforts but that it remains to be seen whether that will be enough to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
 1.5 degrees
 Experts now say that countries can no longer postpone taking action against climate change. According to a report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), if countries do not take further action, it is possible that global average temperatures will rise by 2.7 degrees Celsius by the end of this century, a scenario which would have devastating consequences.
 On the other hand, keeping temperatures from rising beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius would require the nations of the world to halve current greenhouse gas emissions within the next eight years.
 At the opening ceremony in Glasgow, UN climate chief  Patricia Espinosa  said that the world's countries need to change their ways or accept that "we are contributing to our own extinction."
 Although no further emissions reductions are planned to be negotiated at the two-week meeting, many countries have made new commitments, according to minister Mikkonen.
 "Many large countries have announced carbon neutrality targets, but then we're talking about the years 2050 or 2060. We would need significant emissions reductions before 2030," Mikkonen said.
 G20 pledge
 At the G20 summit in Rome, Italy on Sunday, leaders of the world's 20 largest economies called for meaningful and effective measures to limit global warming to 1.5-degrees Celsius.
 However, the meeting's resulting document still lacks concrete measures and there were no provisions to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, a goal that scientists think is crucial to preventing climate events like extreme droughts, storms and floods around the world.
 The chair of the independent think tank the Finnish Climate Change Panel,  Markku Ollikainen , said he was still pleased about the G20's stated commitments.
 "If the G20 commits to the 1.5-degree target, it will be a major turning point in international climate policy. I see that decision as a very encouraging signal being sent to Glasgow," Ollikainen told Yle on Sunday, just before he departed for the COP26 meeting.
 This article may be updated.

Finnish president joins world leaders at COP26 climate summit


Summary: A controversial department store owner has rowed back on his weekend social media posts about the Holocaust and a secretive elite intent on global domination.

The chances that Finland will begin rolling out coronavirus vaccines to children aged between 5 and 11 before the end of this year has taken a big step forward,  according  to the largest-circulation daily Helsingin Sanomat.
 The latest development follows  reports  from the United States that a panel of experts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the benefits of jabbing children with the Pfizer vaccine outweigh any other health risks.
 Finland's National Advisory Committee on Vaccines (Krar) is currently considering the matter, HS writes, and a report is expected by the end of next month.
 "The effect of the disease on children and young people is small compared to the burden of disease in the elderly, but still not insignificant," public health agency THL's chief physician and vaccinologist  Hanna Nohynek  told HS.
 "Isolated cases of serious disease have been reported in children. There have also been cases of Long Covid in children around the world, and that too needs to be considered."
 However, there are still a number of steps to go in the process, assuming Krar and THL do recommend vaccinations for kids.
 Extending the Pfizer vaccine for this age group would require a conditional EU marketing authorisation as well as changes to the government's legally binding vaccine decree.
 Repentant retailer
 Tabloid Iltalehti  reports  that controversial retail boss  Juha Kärkkäinen  has promised to give up writing Facebook posts that, for example, deny the Holocaust or link President  Sauli Niinistö  to conspiracy theories and instead put more time and energy into his day job, running his bargain basement chain of department stores.
 "Out of respect for the company's employees and suppliers, I have decided to stop publishing statements about political matters or other issues that concern other people," IL quotes Kärkkäinen as writing.
 The retailer caused quite a stir over the weekend when, as IL  also reported , he called Finland's President an "Nwo henchman", a reference to the New World Order (NWO) conspiracy theory — popular among far-right warriors of the keyboard — which claims a secretive power elite is intent on global domination.
 Kärkkäinen has now asked for forgiveness from the president, IL writes, and anyone else who "may have been offended" by his posts or statements on social media.
 The retail magnate has plenty of previous experience when it comes to self-inflicted damage to his company's brand. In 2015, a number of big Finnish companies — including Finlayson and Fiskars —  cut all ties  with the department store chain following Kärkkäinen's publication of "repulsive propaganda" in a freesheet newspaper.
 These companies remain unmoved by Kärkkäinen's latest apology however and  told  IL they intend to keep their products out of his stores, with Oulu-based Kaleva also  reporting  that local ice-hockey side Kärpät are now reconsidering their sponsorship arrangement with the chain.
 Kärkkäinen has also  previously made headlines  because of his strong links to far-right groups and a conviction for agitation against an ethnic group.
 And that's not all. During the summer he  urged his employees  not to take the coronavirus vaccine, inviting them to 'do their own research' by sending around anti-vaxx videos and links though the company's internal communications channel.
 The winner takes it all
 Ilta-Sanomat has videos of  all the goals  from a pulsating penultimate matchday in the top tier of Finnish football on Wednesday evening.
 A hard-fought 1-0 win for Helsinki-based HJK over their city rivals HIFK means they now lead Kuopio's KuPS — who drew 2-2 in Seinäjoki against SJK — by just one point with just one game to play.
 And what is that game? Yes, it's KuPS against HJK in Kuopio on Sunday evening at 5pm, providing Finnish football fans with the rare drama of a last-day, winner-takes-all league title decider.
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 KuPS (yellow shirts) will host HJK (blue and white stripes) on Sunday evening at 5pm in a league title decider. Matti Raivio / All Over Press
 The scenario is simple: If KuPS win, they are the champions. If they don't, HJK will take the crown.
 "You don't get to play championship deciders every day," KuPS captain  Anton Popovich  said after his side's game. "We'll just enjoy this week while we have this great opportunity. Hopefully we’ll win on Sunday and raise the trophy."

Thursday's papers: Vaccinating kids, Holocaust denier apologises, football cliffhanger


Summary: Helsinki Deputy Mayor Nasima Razmyar (SDP) describes the state of early childhood education as a "house of cards" near collapse.

A lack of staff and resources at daycare centres in the Helsinki metropolitan area has led to some parents being called and asked to take their children home.
 The one-year-old daughter of  Natalia Salmela  started daycare at the beginning of September, and staff shortage issues at the centre became immediately apparent.
 "The staff is changing all the time. The deputy director plays with the kids because there are no other employees there to do it," Salmela said, adding that even her child's first parent-teacher meeting had to be cancelled due to a lack of staff.
 Last week, Salmela's daycare centre informed all parents that their children needed to be picked up earlier than usual as no substitute teacher had been found.
 Helsinki's Deputy Mayor for Education  Nasima Razmyar  (SDP) told Yle that the situation in early childhood education has deteriorated and could even get worse, as the number of children entering early childhood education is predicted to increase in the coming years.
 Razmyar said that Helsinki is in danger of not being able to cope with its law-mandated responsibilities.
 "One could even say it’s a house of cards in danger of collapsing," Razmyar said.
 According to the deputy mayor, a solution that rests in the hands of the city is to alleviate labour shortages in low-wage sectors by increasing availability to employment-bound housing, but Razmyar stressed that not all the keys to solving the problem are in the hands of the city. The government needs to increase the number of students able to enter the early childhood education sector, she stated.
 There have been 140 available spots at universities annually for Finnish language early education courses, and on the Swedish-language side 30. There are more spots allotted for 2021–2024 through additional funding but, according to Razmyar, the number of students must be increased permanently.
 "More places at university are needed in Helsinki, where the number of children in daycare is growing," she said, while emphasising that this should not be turned into a regional policy issue.
 Working while caring for a one-year-old a challenge
 Throughout the autumn, Salmela has spent numerous days with her child at home.
 She is able to set her own schedule, as she writes one of Finland's most popular blogs,  White Trash Disease , and runs a marketing company. Lately, she has been working mainly in the evenings and at night.
 "It's not a dream scenario," laments Salmela.
 Having to adjust her working hours has had a negative effect on her business, says Salmela. Communication with customers suffers if she is not able to correspond during the day.
 "Anyone who has tried to work while caring for a one-year-old knows it is an impossibility. My productivity and quality of work have declined because of the instability of our daycare," she says.
 Story continues after photo.
 Deputy Mayor of Helsinki, Nasima Razmyar Petteri Bülow / Yle
 Much has been done in recent years to improve early childhood education. The number of kindergarten places increased by 4,000 in 2017–2020. In 2021, 800 new places were added to kindergartens.
 Yet, what will further complicate the situation, according to Razmyar, is that the Early Childhood Education Act will require an increase in the number of staff with a graduate degree by 2030.
 In the future, two-thirds of those working in early childhood education, in Helsinki, must have a degree in either early childhood education or sociology.
 There are currently 2,500 early childhood education teachers in Helsinki. The amount required by law should be double by 2030.
 High-quality daycare is also performed by nannies, who currently make up just over 50 percent of the staff in Helsinki daycare centres.
 Razmyar welcomes the idea of retraining nurses into early childhood education teachers.
 "However, this kind of retraining of staff, alongside their work, will also require funding until at least 2030," she says.
 Razmyar notes that there is no knowledge of the Ministry of Education and Culture budgets from 2023 onwards.
 Helsinki aims to increase the number of employees in early childhood education
 A strategy approved by the Helsinki City Council aims to increase the participation rate in early childhood education. The strategy is based on, for example, integrating immigrants into society and working life.
 In order to accelerate the development, the city decided last June to abolish the Helsinki supplement for kids over the age of one.
 According to Razmyar, the participation rate for 1 to 3-year-olds is still low compared to other Nordic countries.
 According to preliminary data, 37 percent of the city's one-year-olds attended public kindergartens in August 2021. A year prior, the number was 34 percent.
 According to Razmyar, the downward trend has lasted several years.
 Investment, not expense
 According to Salmela, municipalities should see daycare as an investment and not as an expense.
 For the next two months, her spouse will be in charge of child care, but their solution comes at a price. When a man leaves his job as marketing director, due to lack of daycare, the family loses two months of wages and society loses the corresponding taxes.
 "We have just started our daycare trajectory. I don’t even want to think about how much work will go undone and how many projects won’t be launched in the coming years," says a frustrated Salmela.
 Professor: Mothers likely to stay home longer than planned
 Tuomas Kosonen , a research professor at the State Economic Research Centre (Vatt), believes that the staff shortage in early childhood education will eventually be reflected in the number of mothers that stay home longer than planned.
 The impact of the shortage of early childhood education staff on women staying home has not been studied, according to Kosonen, but he considers the connection plausible because the support and structures that exist within a society have a strong impact on, in particular, a mother's absence from work.
 According to Kosonen, a long home-care allowance tends to keep mothers out of the work force. Home-care allowance ends when the child turns three.
 "The mothers' participation in the work force shows a rather slow increase until the child is three years old. Studies show that mothers tend to spend long intervals at home," says Kosonen. "In Denmark and Norway, for example, the benefits end when a child turns one. That is why most of the parents of one-year-olds return to work in those countries."
 According to Kosonen, the current debate about early childhood education is about the right to basic public service.
 "It is a question of balancing the public sector. Early childhood education is a public service that is supported by public funds, although it is not free for everyone," Kosonen points out, adding that if municipalities are unable to fund child care, they are to consider cutting other expenses or increasing the tax rate for hiring early childhood education staff.

Children sent home from Helsinki daycares due to staff shortages


Summary: Officers believe the contraband has originated in Sweden, travelled via Central Europe to the Baltics and eventually to Finland.

Finnish Customs have seized several thousand kilos of snus tobacco during the course of a preliminary probe into a smuggling operation estimated to be worth millions of euros.
 Customs officials have been investigating the smuggling and distribution of the prohibited substance around the Helsinki metropolitan area for the past year, and believe the criminals involved have evaded paying taxes of about five million euros.
 A total of 53 people — comprising citizens of Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — are suspected of being involved in the operation, and may face charges including smuggling, aggravated tax evasion and illegal importing of goods.
 Working in cooperation with Estonian customs officials, Finnish officers have stopped lorries in the ports of Helsinki and Tallinn as they suspect the imported snus has originated in Sweden, travelled via Central Europe to the Baltics and eventually to Finland before being then stored in leased premises and containers around the capital region.
 The preliminary probe into the smuggling operation has also uncovered some other suspected serious crimes, such as aggravated drug offences, aggravated money laundering and firearms offences.
 Along with the seizures of snus, several hundred kilograms of nicotine sachets, which are classified as prescription drugs, have also been seized by customs officials. Unlike snus, nicotine sachets do not contain tobacco.

Customs reveal extensive snus smuggling network


Summary: According to Helsinki Region Transport (HSL), there are few alternatives to price increases, due to the financial blow from the pandemic.

Prices of season tickets for public transport in the Helsinki region will increase for the shortest journeys at the beginning of next year, Helsinki's Regional Transport Authority (HSL) has announced.
 The inspection penalty for ticketless riders may also increase if approved by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the authority added.
 Season ticket prices for some regional traffic zones will increase at the turn of the year. The average price hike will be 1.6 percent.
 The prices of AB, BC, CD and D season tickets will rise by 2.60–3.30 euros per month. The prices of ABC, BCD and ABCD tickets as well as the prices of single and day tickets will remain unchanged.
 HSL's Board of Directors has also asked the Ministry of Transport and Communications to raise the inspection penalty fee from the current 80 euros to 100 euros.
 Ticket prices were last increased a year ago, but the inspection fee has remained the same for 13 years.
 HSL says that its 2022 budget is based on the assumption that public transport use will be 23 percent lower next year than in 2019. Meanwhile operating costs are on the rise, it says.
 There has been much public criticism of the increases on social media and in the comments section of HSL's website.
 After the increase, the inspection penalty would be higher than Helsinki's most expensive parking tickets. According to  Elina Kauppila , a Left Alliance member of HSL's Board of Directors, for example, this would penalise low-income earners in particular.
 Pajula: Using mass transit is best way to minimise price increases
 Board Chair  Matias Pajula  (NCP) sees no alternatives to the decisions made on Tuesday.
 "HSL's financial situation is challenging, and we need to find ways to balance the economy. The increase is in line with inflation, so it is very moderate," he said. Yle asked him more about the latest fare hike.
 Why will prices now be increased specifically for the shortest journeys?
 "On the longest trips, demand has already dropped very strongly. In these ticket categories, volumes are also so small that the significance of the price increase would have been negligible. In this situation, we were forced to raise the cost of cheaper tickets."
 What other means would be available to cover the income deficit?
 "Reduction of service levels. I, at least, think that should be avoided. It’s also tricky because we have long-term contracts with operators."
 Are you concerned that the price increase will affect the demand for public transport?
 "Of course, everything has an effect on everything. However, the increase is moderate, so the competitive position of public transport compared to other modes of transport will not really change."
 HSL proposes that the penalty fee should be increased to 100 euros from the current 80 euros. Why?
 "The inspection fee has been the same since 2007. Ticket prices, on the other hand, have been raised several times over the years. At least I personally think it’s reasonable to have to pay for travelling without a valid ticket. A very affordable inspection fee inevitably creates a temptation to travel without a ticket."
 In Helsinki's southern neighbouring city of Tallinn, Estonia, the use of public transport is free. How far off is this in the metropolitan area?
 "At the moment, it is not possible to increase the share of municipalities and cities in public transport costs to 100 percent. Instead, I strongly encourage people to use public transportation now. It is the best way to maintain service levels and minimise price increases."

Public transport fares rising again in Helsinki region


Summary: The former emergency services worker waived his right to anonymity because he wants to inspire a cultural change in the sector, as Finland's social affairs minister calls for action.

Seinäjoki resident  Terence Sam  has told Yle about his experiences of racism and harassment while working as a firefighter for a regional rescue department.
 Sam's recounting of his experiences comes a day after Yle revealed that  sexual harassment, misogyny and even overt hatred of women  was widespread within the emergency services sector.
 In an interview with Yle, Sam said that derogatory comments, harassment and other offensive 'mouthing off' could come from colleagues or even from the people he was trying to help in the line of duty.
 He added that the term mouthing off, or  suunsoitto  in Finnish, is too light an expression to accurately describe the kind of speech that is prevalent within the emergency services sector.
 "Sometimes they laughed, but some of them were serious about the fact that women do not belong in the fire brigade or do not know how to drive. Racist language and things about people were said, like that they wouldn’t deserve help," he said.
 Sam has previously worked as a professional firefighter for the Ostrobothnian Rescue Department, but his current role is as a fire safety consultant.
 He said he did not want to speak under the cover of anonymity because he hopes that sharing his experiences will be the catalyst for a significant change in the working culture within the emergency services sector.
 He further added that he also hopes the industry will introduce the possibility that people could report incidents of harassment anonymously.
 "We are talking about a minority who are doing these things. I urge the good guys in the sector to come forward and say that now enough is enough - this is not an acceptable way of behaving," he said, adding that he hopes the positive values of the emergency services sector will be reflected in the tackling of these issues.
 Yle contacted the Ostrobothnian Rescue Department's director for comment on Sam's experiences but they declined to comment about an individual case, only saying that any incidence of racism is regrettable.
 Minister: Management must step up
 Finland's Minister of Social Affairs and Health  Hanna Sarkkinen  (Left), whose ministry is responsible for occupational health and safety, said the law alone cannot eradicate sexual harassment within the industry.
 Speaking on Yle TV's A-studio current affairs programme on Wednesday evening, Sarkkinen said it is essential that the sector's top management commit to tackling the problem through active leadership and intervention.
 "Laws alone do not remedy social ills, but require implementation and leadership," Sarkkinen said, adding that she was surprised by the severity and scale of the problem within the sector.
 "It is essential that top management is committed to preventing sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour, and that it is carried out through the organisation's active communication, leadership and intervention," the minister added.

Firefighter recounts experience of racism, harassment in emergency services sector


Summary: Latvia made an official request to EU countries for assistance due to the country’s deteriorating Covid situation.

Finland intends to respond to Latvia's request for assistance due to the country's deteriorating Covid situation, Safety and Health Department adviser  Lasse Ilkka  from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health told Yle Radio Suomi on Thursday.
 The number of hospitalised patients in Latvia jumped to more than 1,400 on October 25. Latvia had initially set a limit of 3,000 hospital patients before it would request international assistance.
 Finland received Latvia's official request for assistance through the EU's civil protection mechanism on Wednesday, said Ilkka.
 Latvia is requesting medical equipment. Sweden says it will assist Latvia by sending 120 respirators along with other equipment.
 "Yesterday we sat down to figure out what we could offer them. We have access to a small number of medical devices that we can likely ship to Latvia. If there is a need, we may also be able to send them protective gear, but we do not yet know whether they need these," Ilkka said.
 According to Ilkka, Latvia is asking for medical equipment specifically for hospital care and intensive care, as the strain on the hospitals in the country is still "very heavy" due to the pandemic.
 Ilkka estimates that Finland has a lot of hospital supplies in stock that they would be able to share, but not a surplus of medical equipment. Therefore, the number of medical devices that can be sent to Latvia will be small.
 The decision on how much Finland will be able to assist Latvia with medical equipment and hospital supplies will be made on Thursday, said Ilkka. The matter is decided jointly by the health ministry and the Ministry of the Interior.
 According to Ilkka, Finland has not had to make similar requests for assistance through the EU's civil protection mechanism during the pandemic.

Finland to help Covid-hit Latvia


Summary: The introduction of the Covid passport seems to have spurred people under 35 to take their first dose of vaccine.

The Covid-19 situation in Finland has remained largely unchanged over the past couple of weeks, according to officials from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
 At a weekly briefing on Thursday, they warned, however, of major regional differences in infection and vaccination rates as well as hospitalisations.
 The introduction of the Covid passport seems to have increased the willingness of people under 35 to take their first dose of coronavirus vaccine. An increasing number of restaurants, bars and clubs are requiring a valid pass for entry, as this allows them to remain open later.
 There has also been a rise in vaccinations among youngsters aged 12-15. This may be partly explained by travel related to last week’s autumn school holidays.
 80% coverage unlikely before November
 THL announced that full vaccine coverage among the eligible population, aged 12 and over, has reached 77.5 percent. The government has been aiming for 80 percent coverage by the end of October, but that now appears more likely to be attained in early November.
 More than eight million vaccine doses have been administered in Finland, including 4.2 million first doses. The nation has a population of just over 5.5 million.
 Approximately 3.8 million second doses and 89,000 third doses, or booster shots, have been administered.
 More first jabs have been given in the last two weeks than during the preceding fortnight. Authorities said this has apparently been spurred by the adoption of the Covid passport in mid-October.
 Epidemic of unvaccinated worsening
 In the general population, the incidence of Covid infections is 133 infections per 100,000 inhabitants over a two-week period.
 Unvaccinated people have significantly more infections than the rest of the population, with an incidence of 490 infections per 100,000 in unvaccinated people aged 12-79.
 In the last two weeks, unvaccinated individuals aged 12-79 have been admitted to specialised healthcare 15 times more often than fully vaccinated people in the same age group. The risk has been highest in those aged 50–69 years, more than 50 times higher than their fully vaccinated counterparts.
 Reproductive rate slowly declining
 Nationally, the epidemic is no longer growing, but regional disparities remain large.
 Infections have remained around the same level for the past month. Approximately 3,600-4,000 new infections are diagnosed per week.
 The reproductive rate (or R number) has continued to slowly decline, and is now estimated at 0.90–1.05. In other words, each infected person will pass the virus on to about one other person on average.

Covid passport boosts vaccinations among young adults, coverage nearly 78%


Summary: The arena's board said the decision was based on the tech firm's weak financial position and negative publicity surrounding the company.

Tampere Arena's board of directors has decided to terminate its naming-rights sponsorship agreement with Finnish technology firm Uros.
 Instead, the board announced that the name of the multipurpose sporting arena — set to open in December — will revert back to the original Tampere Deck Arena.
 In a statement released on Thursday morning, the board said the decision was based on Uros' weak financial position and the negative publicity surrounding the company, which was also impacting the public perception of the arena.
 Last week, state investment agency Business Finland  revealed  that Uros had deliberately withheld information and provided false details in order to secure millions of euros in product development funding during the early 2010s.
 Helsingin Sanomat also  reported  recently that the firm has failed to pay several small bills since July.
 This left the board with serious doubts about the tech company's ability to meet the financial obligations of the naming-rights contract, the arena's CEO  Marko Hurme  said.
 "For these reasons, the arena company does not see any opportunities for continued cooperation, so in this situation we think the decision is the only correct one," Hurme stated in the board's press release.
 Speaking to Yle, Hurme said that the situation was "under control" despite the termination of the contract, and the board is in no hurry to find an alternative sponsor.
 "We do not have any compelling need to find a replacement immediately," he said, adding that the board will now focus on the completion of the arena's construction and subsequent opening.
 "We would like this discussion to go away, as it does not directly pertain to the arena company. The naming-rights agreement is a great opportunity for cooperation, but let’s see what the future holds. Now we will focus on the opening of the arena," Hurme told Yle.
 City welcomes decision
 The City of Tampere, which is a partner in the arena project, welcomed the board's decision, but added that the situation was "regrettable".
 "We have been informed of the decision and we are sorry that such a situation has happened, but we understand the board's position," city CEO  Juha Yli-Rajala  said. "As a city, we are very pleased that the construction and preparation of the arena is now continuing at a good pace and that the naming issue will be removed from the agenda."
 Tampere mayor  Anna-Kaisa Ikonen  (NCP) also  tweeted  her support for the decision.
 "It is good that a solution has been found to an unfortunate situation. Fortunately, the arena itself is well under way and we will soon be able to enjoy its great facilities and events as planned," Ikonen wrote.
 The Tampere Deck Arena is a 13,455 capacity multi-purpose stadium located in the centre of the city, and is scheduled to open to the public later this year when the two Finnish Elite League (SM-liiga) ice hockey games are played on 3 and 4 December.
 An official opening ceremony is also scheduled for 15 December.

Tampere Arena ends naming-rights agreement with Uros, cites financial concerns


Summary: World leaders and policymakers are meeting in the Scottish city of Glasgow to outline climate commitments.

Finland's President  Sauli Niinistö  is scheduled to address the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland at about 5pm Finnish time.
 The Finnish head of state is expected to speak about the importance of forestry in efforts to tackle the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss during his speech, as well as highlighting in particular the vital role forests play in Finland's economic and social development.
 You can watch the speeches live from the video above.
 We will continue to update this story.

Watch live: World leaders speak at COP26, Finland's President Niinistö due at 5pm


Summary: According to new statistics, smoking is on the rise among women, whereas snus use is most common among young men.

Daily smoking by people living in Finland continues to be on the decline, according to the latest results of the Tobacco Statistics 2020 survey published by the National Institute for Health and Welfare THL.
 According to the statistics, about 12 percent of people living in Finland aged 20–64 smoked daily in 2020; 14 percent of men and 11 percent of women. Among men, smoking has declined since 2019, while for women the numbers are showing a slight uptick.
 Long-term, the smoking habits of both sexes have declined significantly, for men even more so than women. At the turn of the millennium, nearly 30 percent of men and about 20 percent of women lit up regularly.
 Daily smoking among young people, 14–20 years, has also continued to decline, but this is mainly due to a decline in girls' smoking. Seven percent of boys and five percent of girls continue to smoke daily in 2021.
 An estimated 7 percent of retirees (ages 65-84) smoke daily; 8 percent of men and 5 percent of women. There have been no significant changes in the smoking habits among retirees in recent years.
 More young men using snus
 The use of snus tobacco has become more common among men. About 7 percent of Finnish men aged 20–64 used snus daily in 2020, which is two percentage points higher than in 2019. Only one percent of women used snus daily in 2020.
 Snus was most common in the 20-34 age group, where 12 percent used the substance daily. Every fifth man aged 20-34 reported their snus use as daily or occasional.
 The daily use of snus in young people aged 14 to 20 appears to be on the decline overall. In 2021, snus was used daily by 5 percent of 14- to 20-year-olds, one percentage point less than in 2019.
 In male vocational school students, daily snus use decreased the most compared to 2019. In the case of female vocational students, on the other hand, daily snus use increased slightly. In high schools and elementary schools, the use of snus was less common than in vocational schools.
 E-cigarette users few and far between
 According to the statistical report, e-cigarettes were used daily by 1 percent of men aged 20-64 and fewer than 1 percent of women in 2020. Regular e-cigarette use is also generally low among young people, with the exception of male vocational school students, of whom 4 percent smoke e-cigarettes.
 The ten-euro line is approaching
 According to Yle's calculations, there are half a million daily smokers in Finland and the average number of cigarettes consumed by a habitual smoker is about 400 per year, which is just over a pack a day. The financial hit to daily smokers is the equivalent of a few vacations a year, anywhere between 3,500 and 4,000 euros.
 A pack of cigarettes now costs an average of just over nine euros, with the price likely to hit the ten-euro mark in just over a year, as a result of tax increases. The state will generate about 1.5 billion euros in revenue from tobacco sales this year, which covers just over three percent of this year's government spending.

Daily smoking declines, snus use on the rise


Summary: The approval means that Finland will receive an initial payment of about 271 million euros to help the economy recover from the effects of the pandemic.

EU finance ministers approved Finland's Covid recovery and resilience plan during a video conference on Thursday, meaning Finland will receive its first share of the EU recovery package.
 The initial payment amounts to 13 percent of the recovery fund pot, or about 271 million euros. In total, Finland will receive an estimated 2.1 billion euros from the EU's recovery package.
 The plan had previously  been approved  by the European Commission at the beginning of October.
 Finland's plan had set out how the Nordic nation intends to utilise funding from the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility, identifying four key areas: Green transition, digitalisation, employment and skills, and health and social services.
 Finance Minister  Annika Saarikko  (Cen) represented Finland at the meeting, announcing at a press conference afterwards that Finland's focus on climate change was commended by the other member states.
 "We received special praise for the fact that the plan emphasises the role of green transition measures," Saarikko said.
 In a press release accompanying the announcement, the European Council said Finland's use of the money would help it meet the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2035.
 "The measures Finland outlined in its recovery plan encompass increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix, decarbonising industry, reducing emissions of buildings and promoting low-emission transport systems," the statement said.
 The Council of the European Union will formally approve the plans in writing over the coming days.
 Valdis Dombrovskis , the Latvian Vice-President of the European Commission, confirmed the approval of Finland's plan on Twitter, along with those of Estonia and Romania.
 Story continues after image.
 Dombrovskis said that the plans of 22 member states have now received approval, adding that the plans must be put into effect as soon as possible.
 Overall Finland will pay more into the common fund than it will receive in return. According to the Ministry of Finance's latest estimate, Finland's contribution will be about 5.3 billion euros at 2018 prices.
 Finland will repay some 6.6 billion euros over 30 years — between 2028 and 2058 — or 1,200 euros per resident. This comes out to roughly 40 euros per person per year, plus interest.

EU ministers give green light to Finland's Covid recovery plan


Summary: Discrimination rules remain complicated in Finland.

In this week's show APN looks at Prime Minister Sanna Marin's (SDP) spat with 'boomers', a board game racism scandal and allegations of discrimination in hiring practices were all part of the show.
 You can listen to the full podcast using the embedded player here, via Yle Areena, Spotify or Apple Podcasts or on your usual podcast player using the RSS feed.
 Article continues after audio.
 After reports that Helsinki University's theology department had specifically asked students with Finnish-sounding names to apply for a job, we asked Finland’s Non-Discrimination Ombudsman,  Kristina Stenman , what people can do if they suspect unfair hiring practices.
 It's not a simple path to remedy these situations, but Stenman said multiple organisations can help. Trade unions, her office, and the state regional development agency (Finnish acronym Avi) are all able to assist.
 There is legislation in the works to change the convoluted process, which currently depends on the Avi taking a case to court. But slow progress is being made, according to Stenman.
 "We have employers that are at least piloting anonymous [recruitment], we have employers that are trialling positive discrimination as they try to diversify their staff, so we have all sorts of positive moves. But the movement is too slow," said Stenman.
 Nato conundrum
 We also report on the podcast about Nato Secretary-General  Jens Stoltenberg 's visit to Helsinki earlier this week.
 Stoltenberg leaves his post next year but before he does, is visiting Nato members and partners, and few are as close as Finland.
 At a joint press conference with President  Sauli Niinistö,  Stoltenberg lauded the shared values and interoperability of Finland's military and Nato, while Niinistö emphasised the so-called 'Helsinki spirit' stemming from Finland's role as a bridge between east and west.
 The country is not a Nato member, however, and Stoltenberg did point out that this means security guarantees do not extend to Finland.
 "But of course there is a difference between being a member and not being a member," said Stoltenberg. "And the difference is Article 5 of the Washington Treaty that states that an attack on one ally would be regarded as an attack on all allies. That collective defence clause doesn't apply for Finland."
 Join the conversation
 This week's show was presented by  Egan Richardson  and  Zena Iovino . The producer was  Mark B. Odom  and the audio engineer was  Laura Koso .
 If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts, just contact us via WhatsApp on +358 44 421 0909, on our Facebook or Twitter accounts, or at yle.news@yle.fi and allpointsnorth@yle.fi.

APN podcast: Fighting discrimination and the PM's boomergate


Summary: The government says restrictions must be kept in place since vaccination coverage is still short of the target level.

The government has decided to continue the current restaurant restrictions until at least mid-November.
 Restaurant restrictions will continue in the areas with the highest infection rates, i.e. those in the community transmission phase, from 31 October.
 The restrictions apply to the provinces of Southwest Finland, Satakunta, Päijät-Häme, Ostrobothnia, Southern Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia and Uusimaa. This includes most of the largest cities such as Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Tampere, Turku and Pori.
 In these areas, alcohol may be served until midnight and restaurants can be open until 1am. Nightclubs, bars and pubs may use up to half of their normal maximum capacity both indoors and outdoors. Food-oriented restaurants and cafés may seat up to 75 percent of the normal maximum. All guests must have their own seating indoors.
 Restaurants in higher-infection areas can avoid restrictions on opening and serving times as well as customer numbers by requiring patrons to show Covid passports, which certifies full vaccination or a recent negative test or recovery from the illness.
 Unvaccinated burdening healthcare
 The regulation allowing restaurant restrictions was due to expire at the end of October.
 The government said that the extension of restrictions is justified by the fact that vaccination coverage is not yet at the desired level. Unvaccinated people with Covid are also placing a heavy burden on specialist medical care.
 The infection and hospitalisation rate among unvaccinated people is many times higher than the rest of the population. Earlier on Thursday the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) said that those in their 50s and 60s are more than 50 times more likely to end up in hospital than their fully vaccinated counterparts.
 Health ministry aims to expand use of Covid passport
 The government has previously pledged to waive coronavirus restrictions when 80 percent vaccination coverage among those aged 12 and over is reached.
 THL estimates that this level will be achieved next week, in early November. As of Thursday the rate was nearly 78 percent.
 THL has also recommended extending restaurant restrictions. Restaurant restrictions are also tied to the Covid passport and its validity, as the passport is an alternative to complying with the restrictions. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health plans to expand and continue the use of the Covid passport after the turn of the year.

Restaurant restrictions extended until mid-November in parts of Finland


Summary: Teemu Torssonen was given a sentence of one year and five months' probation after being convicted of aggravated assault, a firearms offense and making an illegal threat.

The Central Finland District Court has sentenced former Jyväskylä City Councillor  Teemu Torssonen  to one year and five months' probation. Torssonen will also have to surrender his weapon to the state.
 Torssonen was found guilty of aggravated assault, a firearms offense and an illegal threat, the district court stated in its verdict.
 In March last year, Torssonen threatened to strike an unknown man with an ice auger. The man fled, but Torssonen followed him, hitting him several times over the head with a rock.
 Torssonen has denied both acts.
 Staged a break-in
 In May last year, Torssonen staged a break-in to his vehicle, to avoid having to hand over his weapons to the police as part of an assault investigation.
 Torssonen instead gave his weapons to an acquaintance living in a different part of the country, who hid them on his behalf.
 To cover up his actions, Torssonen claimed that the guns had been stolen from his car.
 Torssonen has also denied the firearms crime.
 Doubts about the break-in arose when police investigated the attempted murder of Finns Party aide  Pekka Kataja  and went through Torssonen's computer. Torssonen was a suspect in that attack, but charges were dropped.
 Torssonen used to be a member of the nationalist Finns Party, but has since been forced to resign. Since parting ways with the party, he has served as the only representative of the council group Jyväskylän Hyväksi (For Jyväskylä) until he failed to make it into the council during the summer municipal elections.
 At the time of the crimes, he was still a city councillor.

Court issues sentence for controversial city councillor


Summary: Harjanne will replace Emma Kari as she takes her position as Minister of the Environment and Climate Change.

First-term MP  Atte Harjanne  has been elected the new acting chair of the Greens group of MPs.
 Harjanne’s victory was narrow, with voting proceeding to a second round. In the first round, Harjanne faced first-term MPs  Saara Hyrkkö  and  Jenni Pitko , who currently act as vice-chairs for the group. In the second round Harjanne faced Pitko, who has been serving as the interim chair of the Greens parliamentary group, standing in for  Emma Kari .
 Harjanne is a 37-year-old engineer who previously worked as a researcher for the Finnish Meteorological Institute. He is also a member of the Helsinki City Council, to which he was first elected in the 2017 municipal elections.
 Harjanne is more economically liberal and to the right of his fellow party members, which he sees as an advantage in everyday politics. In the press conference after his election, he speculated that his ability to reach across political divides made a difference in today’s vote.
 "I am considered somewhat of a bridge-builder, a good collaborator and listener. I think it certainly had an impact, today. Not that the other two candidates lack those strengths," Harjanne said.
 The reshuffle within the Green Party is due to Minister of the Interior  Maria Ohisalo  going on maternity leave.
 First-term MP  Iiris Suomela  was previously named interim party chair, taking over from Ohisalo, but is not assuming her role as Interior Minister.
 Current Minister of the Environment and Climate Change  Krista Mikkonen  will cover for Ohisalo as the Interior Minister, while Emma Kari will move to be Environment Minister, leaving open the role of chair of the parliamentary group. Ohisalo plans to take over the environment portfolio when she returns to work next year.

Greens name Atte Harjanne as chair of parliamentary group


Summary: Yes, there's another election, and yes foreigners can vote in it.

Finland will go to the polls on Sunday, 23 January to elect regional assembly members that will have responsibility for provision of social and healthcare services.
 Here's what you need to know.
 Wait, there's another election coming up?
 Yes! Fans of democracy will be pleased to discover that Finland is scheduled to hold an election of one form or another in each of the next four years, starting with the regional elections in January 2022. Then there will be parliamentary elections in 2023, Presidential and European elections in 2024 and municipal elections again in 2025.
 So what are we voting for this time?
 People are voting for 21 brand spanking new regional assemblies to take control of health and social care. They take those powers from Finland's 310 municipalities — except for Helsinki, which is big enough to serve as a regional assembly (or 'wellbeing services county', in the official jargon) all on its own, and the autonomous archipelago of Åland, which falls outside the scope of the reforms.
 The Helsinki council will assume those powers, so there'll be no election there.
 You can see a breakdown of the 21 regions on the map below.
 Story continues after the map.
 Yle Graphics
 Wellbeing services counties. That's quite a mouthful. What kind of responsibilities will these organisations have?
 They will organise primary healthcare services, specialised healthcare, dental care, emergency services, mental health services, social care and a host of other such services within their region.
 These are public services financed by tax revenue, and the regional assemblies can decide whether to provide the services themselves or to buy them from private providers.
 They won't initially have tax-raising powers, so central government will have to pay the bills.
 And why do we need this reform?
 The idea was to streamline bureaucracy. There has been some inequality between different regions as to the speed and quality of services.
 Some regions are losing population too, making it more difficult to justify services in every town.
 The reform includes a provision whereby every patient has the right to use their mother tongue when accessing services, and if there is no common language the onus is on the service provider to ensure that the patient or client can access the service in a language they understand.
 That sounds good. When do we vote?
 Election day is 23 January 2022, when polling booths will be open between 9am and 8pm.
 You can also drop off your ballot during the advance voting period, which is from 12 to 18 January in Finland and 12 to 15 January abroad. You will probably spot the advance voting stations in your local library, town hall or shopping mall.
 How do I find out if I am even eligible to vote?
 Just like at municipal elections, citizens of any country registered as having a "municipality of residence" in Finland for two years before election day can vote. People from the EU, Iceland and Norway can vote after just 51 days of residence.
 And if that is not clear, you can double-check your eligibility from the  canivote.fi  website, which was developed by students from Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) and Aalto University's Media Lab.
 What are the main issues?
 That remains to be seen! Parties will try to push their own themes, and they have started to publish their party platforms, but the responsibilities of the assemblies are quite narrow. National politics will intrude on the campaign too, if debate about health policies prove too narrow for Finland's politicians.

A Very Simple Guide to Finland's County Council Elections


Summary: Finland has adopted a new programme to address structural racism and hate speech in the country.

In the future all Finnish police departments will undergo training on non-discriminatory police work while municipal councillors will take courses on hate speech, reports  Helsingin Sanomat .
 On Thursday the government adopted a 52-point programme called "Equal Finland" aimed at combating racism and hate speech in Finland over the next two years. Measures also include increased state support for organisations helping victims of racism and hate crime.
 Drawing on racism research in Finland, the programme aims to dismantle discriminatory societal structures while promoting diversity in the Finnish workforce.
 A 2018 EU study found Finland to be among the  most racist countries  in the bloc.
 Tax alerts
 One of business magazine  Talouselämä 's top stories warns readers that nearly 900,000 residents are expected to exceed income limits specified on their 2021 tax cards.
 TE said the tax office has for the first time ever sent out email alerts to taxpayers whose withholding rates seem too low in light of income earned earlier this year.
 Many income-earners will find their Christmastime pay packets light, writes TE, if they don't adjust withholding percentages for the rest of the year.
 Income exceeding the reported income ceiling is taxed according to the additional withholding rate specified on the tax card.
 Revised tax cards can be downloaded (in English)  online .
 The world's most expensive Moomin mug?
 Moomin mug mania has reached new heights, according to Swedish-language daily  Hufvudstadsbladet , which reports that an online Swedish auction has set the starting price for one of these cups adorned with  Tove Jansson 's paintings at 17,550 euros.
 The mug in question, "Dive," was released in 2006 as a prototype version. It was inspired by Jansson's 1955 comic book "Moomin's Winter Follies."
 An identical mug drew 12,005 euros in Finland last year.
 Ceramic company Arabia's first Moomin-themed children's tableware came on sale in the late 1950s, four decades before the height of the Moomin boom when the mugs assumed their current form.

Friday's papers: Finland's new anti-racism effort, an end-of-year tax surprise and a very special Moomin mug


Summary: The Finnish and Russian presidents met face-to-face for the first time in more than two years, with some fraught issues possibly on the agenda.

Finnish President  Sauli Niinistö  met his Russian counterpart  Vladimir Putin  on Friday at the Kremlin in Moscow. The meeting came just as the Russian capital heads into lockdown amid record-high daily Covid-19 death tolls.
 Due to the pandemic, it was their first face-to-face meeting since Putin visited Helsinki in August 2019. The two have held telephone conversations since then.
 The presidents have usually met once or twice a year since they both took office in 2012 (Putin previously held the post from 1999 to 2008).
 The meeting was scheduled to begin at 1 pm Finnish time, but was delayed by about 50 minutes. In their comments in a joint press conference after the meeting, President Niinistö thanked his counterpart for their three-hour meeting and emphasised climate questions..
 "It's really good to get to talk to you during this period when big international questions are on the agenda, and of course big risks too," said Niinistö, in a reference to climate change.
 Putin thanks Niinistö for bringing up environmental issues. He mentioned Russia's chairmanship of the Arctic Council and said he hoped that the discussions would also cover Arctic co-operation.
 Niinistö wished Russia success in their stint chairing the body. He said countries in Europe are united on at least one issue: forests.
 "Forests are even more valuable as carbon sinks than we have thought," said Niinistö.
 Trains and timber
 Niinistö said in a press conference after the meeting that the leaders discussed rail services between Finland and Russia, with Putin expressing the hope afterwards that rail passenger trains between the two countries might resume.
 They have been suspended because of the Covid pandemic, and Niinistö said after the meeting that they were likely to continue, given the Covid situation in both countries.
 Article continues after photo
 Due to Covid restrictions, the Allegro train has not operated between Helsinki and St. Petersburg for a year and a half.  Petri Kivimäki / Yle
 Allegro express trains between Helsinki and St. Petersburg are  due to resume traffic before the Christmas season . Last week Russian media reported that the service might re-start on 12 December, but this depends on agreement on Covid restrictions between the two countries' authorities. Unlike neighbouring Estonia, Finland does not allow entry by visitors who have received the Russian Sputnik vaccine rather than EU-approved jabs.
 The leaders also discussed the timber trade. Russia intends to  stop the export of raw timber  via the cross-border Saimaa canal and two other border crossing points, but Finland still wants to negotiate the issue. Russia also aims to restrict the export of softwood timber to Finland.
 Niinistö said afterwards that the issue was raised during the meeting, and Putin had said he would talk to his government about the matter.
 Article continues after photo
 Russia intends to stop the export of raw timber via the Saimaa Canal. Jari Tanskanen / Yle
 International tensions
 The talks come as major issues are on the international agenda, such as Belarus, the occupation of Crimea and the war between the Ukrainian government and Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine. The issues have led to tensions with the EU, including sanctions and counter-sanctions. Niinistö has previously signalled that Finland would be prepared to mediate in the conflict.
 In late August, he attended the Crimea Platform summit in Kiev and met with Ukrainian President  Volodymyr Zelensky . As in the past, Niinistö may also raise human rights issues such as the treatment of Russian opposition leader  Alexei Navalny .
 Relations between Russia and the military alliance Nato are also at a historical low. While Finland is not a full Nato member, it is a close partner, as seen during this week's visit to Helsinki by Nato Secretary General  Jens Stoltenberg  and the North Atlantic Council ambassadors.
 Just after the Nato meeting, Niinistö's office announced that he would visit the Kremlin a few days later.
 Kristi Raik , director of the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute, suggested that Niinistö intended to send a message that Finland has not forgotten its relations with Russia, despite its close ties with Nato.
 Article continues after photo
 Sauli Niinistö (right) and Vladimir Putin (left) dined at Suomenlinna in August 2019. Roni Rekomaa / Tasavallan presidentin kanslia
 In comments to journalists Niinistö once again mentioned the 'Helsinki Spirit, reiterating his proposal for a summit in 2025 to mark the 50 th  anniversary of the historic Helsinki Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE). It brought together an unprecedented grouping of leaders from East and West.
 The successor to the CSCE, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), holds a ministerial meeting in Stockholm in December, when Finland may formally propose such a summit.
 Black carbon threatens Arctic
 Niinistö has discussed environmental issues on several occasions with Putin, focusing on black carbon in the Arctic. Typically generated from flaring in oil and gas fields as well as shipping, black carbon or soot plays a threatening role in the fragile Arctic environment and global warming.
 Russia currently holds the Presidency of the Arctic Council. Finland, for its part, took over the presidency of the smaller Barents Euro-Arctic Council  this week , so there are hopes for cooperation on the issue.
 On Monday Niinistö heads to Glasgow, Scotland, to attend the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference.

Niinistö meets Putin in Moscow with trade, transport and climate on the table


Summary: The Finns got a tough draw for the European Championships next summer.

Finland were drawn in the dreaded 'group of death' for next summer's UEFA Women's Championship in England, where they'll face Germany, Denmark and Spain.
 Group B's lineup is a tough one, according to Finland coach  Anna Signeul .
 "The group isn't the easiest, but I believe that all these teams can take points from each other," said Signeul after the draw, which took place in Manchester. "No team will be able to rest players, and I believe that will be good for us. Teams playing us can't come unprepared, and we shouldn't be underestimated."
 The Finland women's team, who are also known as Helmarit or the Boreal Owls in English, qualified with an unbeaten record, but are still the lowest-ranked team in their group.
 Germany are a powerhouse of the game, having won eight of the 12 Women's Euro championships held so far, although they did go out in the quarter-finals in the last tournament held in 2017.
 Denmark were the team that defeated Germany then in a shock result, and they will be hopeful of repeating that performance led by Chelsea striker  Pernille Harder .
 Spain, meanwhile, have the bulk of Barcelona's treble-winning side in their lineup and look capable of challenging the biggest names in the tournament.
 All three of Finland's games will be played in Milton Keynes, a town that had no professional football team until 2003 when Wimbledon FC were controversially allowed to relocate from South London.
 The team was renamed MK Dons but christened 'Franchise FC' by many football fans, and has been boycotted by football monthly When Saturday Comes in their annual season preview.
 Finland's games will be played at Stadium MK, the home of the MK Dons.
 Finland's Group B matches (all times local/Finnish)
 Friday 8 July
 Spain v Finland, 17:00/19:00, Milton Keynes
 Tuesday 12 July
 Denmark v Finland 17:00/19:00, Milton Keynes
 Saturday 16 July
 Finland v Germany 20:00/22:00, Milton Keynes

Finland drawn in 'group of death' at Women's Euro


Summary: A story published in 2017 revealed some details about the Finnish military's intelligence service.

The Deputy State prosecutor has filed charges against three Helsingin Sanomat employees over an in-depth look at an intelligence facility located in Central Finland, published in 2017.
 The three have been charged with disclosure of state secrets or attempted disclosure of state secrets. The offences carry a maximum sentence of four years in prison; however it is unlikely that a non-suspended jail term would be imposed.
 The pre-trial investigation found that HS had not used illegal means to acquire the documents, so the charges relate to the publication of the information they contained.
 Kalle Silfverberg , who at the time headed up the politics desk at HS, and reporters  Laura Halminen  and  Tuomo Pietiläinen  are the journalists facing prosecution. They have denied all charges.
 Silfverberg and Halminen declined to comment on the prosecution, while Yle was unable to reach Pietiläinen.
 The paper's editor-in-chief  Kaius Niemi  and another editor,  Esa Mäkinen , were also suspected of crimes but don't face prosecution.
 Prosecutors said that it was unclear whether either of them had advance knowledge of the story's content.
 Police have launched a separate investigation into how classified information ended up in Helsingin Sanomat's possession. Yle's sources indicate that the suspect in that investigation is former head of Finnish Military Intelligence,  Georgij Alafuzoff .

HS journalists face prosecution over intelligence centre story


Summary: A variety of lifestyle factors may lie behind the rise in childhood obesity, says the health agency.

An increasing number of school-age boys in Finland are overweight or obese, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) said on Friday.
 Thirty percent of elementary school boys were overweight or obese last year, up from 26 percent in 2017. In high schools, the proportion of overweight or obese boys increased from 27 percent to 30 percent over the same period.
 No significant change was observed in the proportion of overweight or obese girls.
 A total of 29 percent of boys aged 2-16 were classified as overweight or obese last year, compared to just 18 percent of girls of the same age.
 High-energy food and drinks
 “The statistics don't include lifestyle data, so we aren't able to assess the reasons for the increase in overweight in boys,” said THL Development Manager  Päivi Mäki .
 "There are likely several factors related to lifestyle and living environment that lie behind this increase in childhood obesity. For example, there are plenty of energy-intensive foods and drinks on offer, and a sedentary lifestyle has become more common for both children and adults," she said.
 Significant regional differences
 The THL noted that there were large differences between the proportions of overweight or obese children and young people by municipality, which ranged between 13–57 percent of boys and 11–39 percent of girls.
 The statistics are based on height and weight measurements for more than 360,000 children, gathered at childcare clinics and school health care. The 2020 data covered 41 percent of youngsters aged 2-16.
 However, the corona epidemic affected the number of health check-ups in clinics and school healthcare last year. According to THL's database report, child health clinic visits decreased by almost seven percent while school health care visits dropped by 21 percent compared to 2019.
 Children with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m 2  or more were defined as overweight or obese, while those with BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more were categorised as obese.

THL: Schoolboys increasingly obese


Summary: The Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the Immigration Service must re-examine applications as conditions in Afghanistan have significantly worsened.

The Supreme Administrative Court has granted leave to appeal to nearly 80 Afghan asylum seekers, overturning decisions by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) and the Administrative Court. It sent the cases back to the Finnish Immigration Service for reconsideration.
 The high court noted on Friday that conditions in Afghanistan have changed significantly since Migri and the Administrative Court ruled on the applications.
 Therefore, it said, arguments by asylum seekers in support of their applications seeking international protection must be reassessed, based on the latest information about conditions on the ground in Afghanistan.
 The panel pointed out that the situation there remains unstable and unpredictable, after the United States withdrew forces from the country and the Taliban deposed the previous government.
 The Supreme Administrative Court decreed that it was not responsible for assessing the applicants' need for international protection and therefore referred these cases back to Migri.
 In July, as the Taliban militant group took control of most of Afghanistan, Migri announced that it would  suspend deportations  of asylum seekers to the country. However the fate of many Afghans in Finland still remains  uncertain .

Court orders Migri rethink on Afghan asylum seekers


Summary: The charges related to the agency's procurement of faulty personal protective equipment (PPE) worth about 5 million euros in March 2020.

A prosecutor has decided not to proceed with charges against three former officials of the national stockpile agency NESA over the procurement of faulty masks at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
 The abuse of an official position charges against the agency's former Managing Director  Tomi Lounema , former Administrative Director  Asko Harjula  and former Department Manager  Jyrki Hakola  involved the acquisition of approximately 5 million euros worth of respirators and surgical masks in March 2020.
 Harjula and Hakola were  fired by the agency  over the failed purchase, while Lounema  resigned .
 In spring 2020, as the pandemic was taking hold in Finland, the National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA)  agreed to purchase  two million masks and 230,000 high-grade respirators from payday loan operator  Onni Sarmaste  and plastic surgery business owner  Tiina Jylhä  in a deal worth a total of about 10 million euros.
 However, the VTT Technical Research Centre lab in Tampere found that the equipment did  not meet minimum standards for use in Finnish hospitals  and the amounts were found to be less than promised.
 Despite this, the agency paid Sarmaste's company about 5 million euros for the equipment while the initial payment to Jylhä’s company was frozen by her bank.
 However, in its ruling the prosecutor said that, based on the preliminary investigation, there was no evidence to suspect any crime had been committed by the agency's officials.
 Former Managing Director Lounema said at the time of his resignation he regretted that there had not been enough time to conduct a comprehensive background check on the parties offering the equipment, due to the urgency of the unfolding crisis.
 In a statement from Lounema's lawyer following the prosecutor's ruling, the former managing director stated that the agency was forced to adjust its normal procurement procedures in order to hurriedly obtain the equipment in a very difficult market situation.
 The statement added that the agency officials brought all information related to the deal to the attention of the ministries as well as the agency's board. There were no objections or comments on the deal until the matter was reported in the media, the statement added.

Prosecutor drops mass procurement charges against stockpile bosses