HT
shootings that have
taken place in Finland in recent
years have been studied, and explanations sought from many different
perspectives.
THE SCHOOL
?rst instance where the possibility
of joint ownership was clearly expressed. ?3 . Haglund
said that Finland and Sweden are the
countries that would be most likely to have some joint equipment . Soon we would have to consider which ideologies should be spread,
or should be permitted to spread. Now is
the time to concentrate on defence
co-operation at a practical level,?
the Prime Minister explained in a
televised interview with the state
broadcaster.
The issue arose when Sweden?s
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Carl
Bildt, and Minister for Defence,
Karin Enström, proposed clos-
er Nordic collaboration in the area of defence policy in Sunday?s
issue of the Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter. New Year?s resolutions are
made, and often broken, while
some don?t even bother with the
pretence.
See page 16
E E VA N I K K I L Ä - K I I P U L A . Niinistö noted that
Sweden has a large weapons industry, a fact that should be taken into
consideration when, and if, the proposal is debated.
Defence Committee vice chairman, Seppo Kääriäinen (Centre),
also representing the opposition
parties, believes that the potential bene?ts of joint military equipment should be looked into. S T T
N I I N A W O O L L E Y, DAV I D DU N N E . Puuronen notes.
Wide-ranging cooperation
However, PM Katainen views that
joint exercises between Nordic countries, joint acquisition of equipment
and Finland?s existing wide-ranging cooperation with Nato member
states is suf?cient for the time being.
Members of the opposition parties were mixed in their response
to Haglund?s suggestions. mental health.
?Dissecting school shooter ideologies might become a complicated
affair. ideologies
The recent school shooting in America has drawn
attention to the motives behind incidents in Finland.
New Year, new promises
January is a month of promises;
join a gym, quit smoking, eat less
chocolate or spend more family
time. ISSUE 3 (285) . claimed
Haglund.
L E H T I K U VA / J A R N O M E L A
BUSINESS
However, sociologist Vesa Puuronen, who specialises in youth
studies, thinks the analyses are incomplete in that they do not really take into account the ideological
motives of the shooters.
According to Puuronen, Finland
has advanced in the same direction
as the United States, meaning that
explanations for these cases have
usually been sought in relation to
the shooters. in
several years. time.
Read more on page 3.
Overriding ideological motives
can, in Puuronen?s opinion, also re?ect
the pluralism perceived to be the fundamental philosophy of Finnish society, under which all ideas are tolerated.
When this happens, intervening in the
denial of other people?s human value
and incitement of mass destruction
and murder is not always easily done.
According to Puuronen, the Jokela school shooting was characterised by the idea of the Übermensch,
misanthropy, and the thought that
?might makes right?. he said. At
the same time we would be colliding with issues regarding freedom
of speech and other core values of
Western culture,. W W W.HELSINKITIMES.FI
Wage dumping
is all too common
Recent years have seen an increase in Finnish companies engaging in ?wage dumping?, where
foreign workers are paid considerably below regular wages.
Black market economy, especially in the construction industry, is
relatively common and must be
combated for the sake of state
coffers and worker?s rights.
See page 8
PM Katainen lukewarm on
idea of Nordic defence pact
PM?s comments pour
cold water on Minister
of Defence?s enthusiasm
for shared military equipment with Sweden.
EDUCATION
PÄ I V I PA J U, O L L I K E M P PA I N E N . ?I think this is a welcome
opening for discussion,. H T
Student life in Finland
In this week?s 5-page education
special we take a look at the current debate on tuition fees for
non-Finnish students, adult education opportunities and how
foreign students find university
life pleasantly different than in
their home countries.
See page 11-15
FINNISH Prime Minister, Jyrki
Katainen, (NCP) has expressed his
reservations at the idea of a Nordic
defence pact, after Minister of Defence, Carl Haglund, (SFP) raised
the possibility over the weekend
of Finland sharing some of its military equipment with other Nordic
countries.
Although Haglund admitted, for
the sharing of military equipment,
the issue must ?rst undergo close
scrutiny in Finland and a treaty
or a defence pact might also be required, Katainen?s comments to Yle
on Monday seemed to suggest that
such an option is not being considered by the government at present.
LIFESTYLE
The Finnish military already carries out joint training exercises with other nations, but the idea of sharing ownership of equipment may be a step too far.
?Discussion of a defence pact is
currently not on the agenda and I
don?t know if it ever will be. 23 JANUARY 2013 . S T T
M ARIA M ANNER . This mindset
divided humanity into an intellectually poor, worthless mass, and an
intelligent elite, which had a Godlike right to decide who lives or dies.
Read more on page 3.
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY | BUSINESS | CULTURE AND DESIGN | HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL WORK | TECHNOLOGY
You Are Your Future
International degree programmes
Application period 7 January ?12 February 2013
â 1XUVLQJ
Bachelor of Health Care, Registered Nurse (RN)
â ,QWHUQDWLRQDO %XVLQHVV
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
www.seamk.?/admissions. Jussi Niinistö (Finns Party), chairman of the
Parliament?s Defence Committee
did not shoot down the proposal,
but said that Finland could not afford to be naïve: ?Sweden has pretty
much brought its own defence to its
knees,. 17 . The sharing
and pooling of defence equipment
would play an important role in this
co-operation.
According to Haglund, the spirit of the article is consistent with
the way defence collaboration has
already been developed between
Nordic countries, but this was the
Sociologist calls for investigation
into school shooters
Four of them represent
high levels of danger: Europe,
Latin America, the Middle
East and Asia.
LOOKING
Union
(EU), 2013 will be the worst
year since the beginning of
the crisis in 2008. Austerity is
the only creed and deep cuts
to the welfare state continue
because Germany, which for
the ?rst time in history dominates Europe and is ruling it
with an iron ?st, wills it so.
IN THE EUROPEAN
explosions could occur in any of the countries
of southern Europe (Greece,
Portugal, Italy or Spain), exasperated as their people are
with the constant cutbacks.
The EU will not emerge from
SOCIAL
gion, the unforeseen relapse
in the health of President
Hugo Chávez . In the ?rst place, in Venezuela, which since 1999 has
been a driver of progressive
changes throughout the re-
IN LATIN
Electoral Tribunal has authorised the registration of
the Partido Libertad y Refundación (LIBRE . You can submit your articles to viewpoint@helsinkitimes.fi.
Articles should be at least 5,000 characters-with-spaces long (maximum length 10,000). April, MFA
Lecture series on History
of Finnish Architecture
All enthusiasts of Finnish
architecture welcome!
24 April 6pm, MFA
Feathers of Steel: Nature in
Glenn Murcutt?s architecture
Lecture by Professor Juhani
Pallasmaa. Freedom
and Refoundation Party), led
by Zelaya.
CHILEANS are due to go to
the polls on 17 November. Beijing is increasingly intolerant
of the US military presence
in Asia. 26 May 2013
Rooted in Australia?s culture
and its diverse climate and
topography, Glenn Murcutt is one
of the great names in today?s
architecture.
Sun 3 Feb 2?4pm, Kiasma
Seminar on Museums
and Architecture
Held in Finnish with some
presentations in English.
GLENN MURCUTT
mfa.fi
JUHANI PALLASMAA
ARKKITEHTUURIMUSEO
FINLANDS ARKITEKTURMUSEUM
MUSEUM OF FINNISH ARCHITECTURE
EVENTS
SAMI RINTALA
EXHIBITIONS
UNBUILT HELSINKI
AS FOR the economy, already
in dire straits, it all depends
on what happens . How long
can the government of President Bashar al-Assad last?
sult in victory for the ultraconservative coalition that
supports Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, who is
all for bombing Iran as soon
as possible.
CASTLES IN THE SKY
political tensions
will rise as the Generalitat
de Catalunya (Government
of Catalonia) decides the
terms of a local referendum
on independence for this autonomous community (province), a process that will be
watched with great interest
by the separatists in Euskadi,
the Basque Country.
and on how the markets react to a possible win by conservative candidate Mario
Monti, who has the support
of Berlin and the Vatican, or
by centre-left candidate Pier
Luigi Bersani, who is the
frontrunner in the polls.
an societies have again become apathetic about what
is going on in the Middle East.
March . is creating
uncertainty.
will also be elections
on 17 February in Ecuador.
President Rafael Correa, another key Latin American
leader, is expected to be reelected. in
Libya.
THE ARAB
BUT subsequent elections allowed reactionary Islamist
parties, like the Muslim Brotherhood, to come to power.
Now, as we are seeing in Egypt,
they want to hold onto it at all
costs, to the consternation of
the secular segments of society who had been the ?rst to
rise up in protest, and are refusing to accept this new form
of authoritarianism. Under 18 free.
Designmuseum combi-ticket ?12.
Glenn Murcutt.
Architecture for Place
6 March . The main theme
of the museum?s repertoire in 2013
is sustainable development.
Facebook, Twitter
finnisharchitecture.fi
GLENN MURCUTT
Kasarmikatu 24 Helsinki
Tue?Sun 11 am?6 pm
Wed 11 am?8pm
Tickets: ?6/3. Helsinki Times reserves the right to accept or reject submissions, as well as to edit or shorten the text.
The opinions expressed in this section are the writers. The
THERE
Given this situation in Iran, Israel will no
doubt be preparing for a possible attack on
Iran?s nuclear installations.
IN SPAIN,
America, 2013 will
also be a year of challenges. the Sunni Islamist
insurgents. 2
VIEWPOINT
17 . with money, arms and instructors . Because on 14 June Iran
will hold presidential elections,
in which incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not eligible to stand. On all fronts, they
are gaining ground. 09 85675100.. Prebook your tickets:
tel. Tunisia
faces the same problem.
following with interest the explosions of freedom
in the spring of 2011, Europe-
IN THE face of the Shiite Front
(Lebanon?s Hezbollah, Syria
and Iran), the United States
has built a broad regional
Sunni Front (from Turkey and
Saudi Arabia to Morocco, including Egypt, Libya and Tunisia). own and do not represent the official policy of the Helsinki Times.
Ignacio Ramonet, is the editor of Le Monde Diplomatique in Spanish.
What?s in store for 2013?
Having survived the announced end of the world on 21 December, we can now try to foretell our immediate future, based on geopolitical principles that will help us understand the
overall shifts of global powers and assess the major risks and dangers.
IP S
at a map of the
world, we can immediately
see some hotspots lit up in
red. Tensions between Beijing and
Tokyo caused by the sovereignty dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands could
be heightened following the
16 December electoral victory
of Japan?s Liberal Democratic Party, led by the new Prime
Minister, Shinzo Abe, who is a
nationalist hawk.
CHINA?S
is moving full speed
ahead with the modernisation of its navy. in the
Italian elections in February;
the doldrums in 2013, and
everything could get worse
if, on top of it all, the response of the markets is brutal (as neoliberals are urging)
in France under the very
moderate socialist President
François Hollande.
INTERNATIONAL attention will
FOR EXAMPLE , the inexorably deepening civil war in Syria clearly shows how the big
Western powers (the United States, the United Kingdom and France), allies of
Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, have decided to support
. 25 Feb 2013
An exhibition about the Unbuilt
City and its inhabitants curated
by Åbäke & Nene Tsuboi with the
archives of the MFA.
Mon Jan 21 6pm, MFA
Personal Architecture
Lecture by Sami Rintala
(Rintala Eggertson Architects)
Held in English.
Castles In The Sky.
Discarded Designs
5 Dec . In
other words, for the next six
months Iran will be immersed
in a violent election campaign
between partisans of a hard
anti-Washington line and supporters of negotiations.
GIVEN this situation in
Iran, Israel will no doubt
be preparing for a possible attack on Iran?s nuclear
installations.
AFTER
elections
in Israel will probably re-
THE 22 JANUARY
MEANWHILE , US President
Barack Obama is looking toward Asia, a priority region
for Washington since it decided on a strategic redirection of its foreign policy. The
unpopularity of conservative
President Sebastián Piñera
opens the way for a possible victory by socialist candidate and former president
Michelle Bachelet.
be focused on Cuba as talks
continue in Havana between
the Colombian government
and the FARC rebels with the
aim of putting an end to Latin
America?s last armed con?ict.
MEANWHILE , there again appears to be a stalemate in the
Middle East, the location of
the most disturbing events in
the world.
Spring uprisings
toppled several dictators in
the region: Zine Ben Ali in Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak in Egypt
and Muammar Gadda. 23 JANUARY 2013
HELSINKI TIMES
Viewpoints are commentaries written by experts and authorities about specific topics. is building between the two giants, which
will doubtless leave its mark
on international politics in
the 21st century.
CHINA
Unbuilt Helsinki
5 Dec . Its goal: to overthrow
Bashar al-Assad and deprive
Tehran of its big regional ally
by next spring.
WHY. A dangerous ?strategic distrust. On 25 September it launched its ?rst
aircraft carrier, the Liaoning,
with the intention of intimidating its neighbours. 25 Feb 2013
Drawings from the museum?s
collections. re-elected 7 October . On 10 November important elections will be held
in Honduras, where former
president Manuel Zelaya was
toppled on 28 June, 2009. ?Discarded dreams?
are often of greater interest to
the historian than many plans
that did reach fruition.
We offer rich new perspectives,
discussion openers and meaningful
experiences of architecture and the
built environment. The
United States is attempting
to curb the expansion of China by surrounding that country with military bases and
relying on the support of its
traditional partners: Japan,
South Korea and Taiwan.
seas have become
the areas with the greatest
potential for armed con?ict
in the Asia Paci?c region
The
study, called Finado, was
completed by doctors and
health-care
professionals
in cooperation with Finnish
Save the Children ry, Interpedia and Helsinki City and
gives recommendations for
standardised physical examinations by a doctor for all
adopted children within two
weeks of the child having arrived in Finland.
Information
not always reliable
Petra (not her real name)
and her spouse had waited
for an adopted child for . However, it is self-evident that all
the necessary information
should be available, says Professor Helena Lapinleimu,
a paediatrics specialist at
TYKS and the manager of the
Finado study.
The
recommendations
given based on the study include a physical inspection
by a doctor for all adopted
children within two weeks
of the child having arrived in
Finland. A 22-year-old man kills school students and teachers with
a firearm.
. In his statement on
Sunday, Salolainen said that
the Swedish Minister of Defence had rejected his proposal last year.
Salolainen, vice chair of the
Foreign Affairs Committee,
wondered if the time was now
ripe when even a commander
of Sweden?s Armed Forces has
admitted that Sweden would
not be able to stop a major military attack on its own.
He considered the proposal on joint equipment by
the Swedish government as a
positive thing: ?It?s not, however, an unambiguous matter,
because in a real-life situation, the joint ownership and
usage may prove problematic. he says.
Puuronen believes that
the online community that
has formed around school
shootings has motivated the
shooters. Standardised physical examinations are necessary because the children?s
health records are defective
and the quality of healthcare
offered in different countries varies.
?Information about the
children and the diseases of
their biological parents are
vague and may not always be
reliable,. ve
years when they received a
notice that a suitable child
has been found. Their joy was
in no way lessened by the
fact that the nine-monthold boy waiting for them in
a Chinese children?s home
needed immediate surgical
treatment due to a cleft lip
and cleft palate.
?We thought that we were
prepared to accept him because of the excellent healthcare services available in
Finland,. ST T
TARU LAIHO . If we can lay rules that are
clear enough, the arrangement will work.?
Salolainen stated that progress on Nordic level would
be a welcome development,
as the EU defence collaboration has not moved forward
the way Finland had hoped.. Their health will
also be regularly monitored.
The study is ?nanced
by the Finnish Foundation
for the Study of Paediatric
Diseases.
L E H T I K U VA / RO N I L E H T I
People light candles in front of the Jokela school centre in Tuusula where an 18-year-old killed six students, the head teacher and
a nurse at his school before turning the gun on himself.
L E H T I K U VA / S A R I GU S TA F S S O N
Study recommends physical
examinations for children
adopted from abroad
Manager of the Finado study Helena Lapinleimu says that all the
necessary information should be available for parents of adopted children.
Mixed views on more military cooperation
Continued from page 1
PÄ I V I PA JU, OL L I K E MP PA INE N . The
replies showed that blood
tests had been taken from
around 85 per cent of the
children.
Special
attention needed
Almost 50 per cent of the
adopted children were diagnosed with a disease that
required treatment or monitoring. he
suggested.
Parliament will start dealing with the new Security and
Defence Policy report next
month.
The report states Finland?s
commitment to developing
and intensifying Nordic defence collaboration, which
already includes extensive
co-operation in the areas of
maintenance, exercises and
training.
Pertti Salolainen (NCP)
called for open discussion on
the possibility of a Nordic defence union in defence policy
debates. One person was wounded in the office.
Instructions needed for doctors on what to
look for during an examination.
ANNELI TERVO . Petra explains in
a press conference at the
Turku University Hospital
(TYKS) Children?s Clinic.
She has her son Samu
with her. This was
one year ago. He does not seem
to mind the ?ashes and
large group of strange people. 23 JANUARY 2013
3
L E H T I K U VA / S A R I GU S TA F S S O N
Warning
signs should
be recognised
School shooters desire for approval from
online community.
E E VA N I K K I L Ä - K I I P U L A . ?The
joint ownership of equipment might help with the
shortage of resources, if carried out in a sensible way,. School shooters also look to build a reputation
in their community.
?The community?s approval is desired, even if it results in the loss of your life.?
In Puuronen?s opinion, it
would be important for peo-
SOCIOLOGIST
ple to not form such fantasies of omnipotence, which,
under the in?uence of online
communities, could lead to
killing.
Puuronen thinks that it
would be important for adults
to listen to young people?s ideas in the prevention of youth
mass shootings. Nine dead: six students, two of the school staff and the
perpetrator.
23.9.2008
Seinäjoki Vocational Education facilities, Kauhajoki:
. Almost half of them are
smaller than other children
of the same age.
This was also the case with
Samu, says his mother Petra.
?He was unable to lift up
his head at the age of nine
months, even though children of that age are usually
crawling and trying to stand
up when supported.?
Lapinleimu says, however,
that most of the children will
catch up in terms of development and growth and will
grow up to be healthy.
?A comprehensive physical examination when arriving in Finland could also
prevent diseases that may
not show up until later.?
All adopted children in the
Helsinki Metropolitan region
who are under the age of seven will undergo a medical examination at the next stage
of the study. Two classmates died.
7.11.2007
Jokela school, Tuusula:
. An 18-year-old fires at the school?s students and teachers.
. Eleven dead: one teacher and nine students, as well as the
perpetrator. A 23-year-old man shoots his ex-girlfriend?s father at his office with a flare gun. S T T
NIIN A WOOL L E Y, DAV ID DUNNE . Samu has undergone two
surgeries and now looks like
every other little boy.
The new parents received
Samu?s most important medical details at least. Additionally, there should be the courage to criticise these ideas if
they are misanthropic, selfcontradictory or unscienti?c.
?Those close to young
people should have the sensitivity to intervene against
such ideas. In addition, one person seriously injured and
two people with light injuries.
30.3.2012
An office in the city centre and a comprehensive
school, Orivesi:
. In
addition, the average age of
Many of the adopted children are diagnosed with a disease that
required treatment or monitoring.
children adopted from a foreign country has increased.
There are no clear regulations on physical examinations.
?Doctors also lack competence in this area. Norway
and Denmark?s participation
would be limited by their Nato membership,. essays and history
exam answers, so they are
well aware of young people?s
thoughts.?
Puuronen also calls for
politicians and spiritual leaders to directly condemn ideological opinions based on
fantasies of omnipotence.
School shootings have killed 22 people
25.1.1989
Raumanmeri junior high school, Rauma:
. S T T
M ARIA M ANNER . Lapinleimu says.
?The authorities of the
home country of the adopted
child may say that the child
has undergone physical examinations, but the examinations may have taken place
years ago.?
Around 1,500 replies were
received to a survey sent to
parents with adopted children under the age of 18. The
research team prepared instructions for physicians,?
Lapinleimu says.
Up to seven out of ten
adopted children may be less
developed than other children of the same age when
they come to their new family. DOMESTIC
HELSINKI TIMES
17 . Very few people live in a perfect vacuum, without in any way
signalling their intentions to
anyone.?
Puuronen says that, after
the Jokela incident, he was contacted by teachers who were
concerned about the views of
some of their students.
?Teachers read the students. explained
Haglund.
Haglund notes that Finland, Sweden and Denmark
will all be struggling with
dwindling defence budgets in the near future. HT
NEARLY 50 per cent of the children adopted to Finland are
diagnosed with a disease that
required treatment or monitoring. However, currently
there are no clear regulations
on physical examinations.
A new study focusing on
the health of children adopted in Finland from abroad
calls for more information
for health-care and social
services professionals. After that, he goes to the school and
fires a gun.
. HT
Continues from page 1
Vesa Puuronen calls for serious consideration and investigation of
the motives that, for example, the Jokela and Kauhajoki
shooters have presented for
their acts.
?The acts themselves are
ethically condemnable and can
be regarded as mindless, but
to their originators they have
been meaningful parts of their
world and worldview,. The most common
diseases were various infectious diseases, hepatitis B and C, and helicobacter
pylori.
Physical examinations
are useful also because most
healthy children are adopted
within their home country. A school student, a 14-year-old boy, shoots at classmates at
the beginning of the lesson.
. H T
?THIS would concern the navy and air forces
4
17 . Turunen said. A permit for scattering
ashes in other areas may
be applied from Metsähallitus, but a permit is usually not granted if the area in
question is close to a settlement, a summer home, a
camping route or a tourism
company.
. Both short-term and
long-term sovereign credit
ratings of Finland thus remain on the highest level.
In addition to Finland, only Luxembourg, Germany
and the Netherlands retain
the highest credit ratings
from all three major rating
agencies.
HT-STT
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
A number of Finnish MP?s proposed a bill to introduce tuition fees for non-Finnish, non-EU/ETA students studying
at Finnish universities. which is most often a parish . The ashes may be buried or
scattered on land or water
if there is a permit of the
landowner or local water
cooperative to do so.
. A registration certi?cate
to the title to the property that proves who owns the
land or waterway must also
be presented.
Katri Heiskanen, an employee of the Jyväskylä Parish Funeral Unit, says that
most people want to place
the ashes of their loved one
on land owned by the parish.
?There have been cases,
though, were an eager ?sherman has wanted the next of
L E H T I K U VA / H E I K K I S A U K KO M A A
No . Last year, the ashes of just
under one thousand people
were scattered in Finland
outside parish lands. Ashes may not be scattered close to sites of particular historical importance or relics.
. The men are believed
to have stolen a total of 14
small-bore pistols, ri?es
and assault ri?es last week
from the Hunting Museum of Finland in Riihimäki. The
smallest number of people
are cremated in the Oulu Diocese, whereas four out of ?ve
deceased are cremated in the
area governed by the Helsinki Parish Union. Heiskanen says.
The party maintaining a crematorium, most often the local parish,
must keep records of where a cremated person?s ashes are placed.
Permit required
for monuments
The Finnish Funerals Act
stipulates that the party
maintaining a crematorium
. though
he did pick up two silver medals in the team events (2002 and
2006). Do you agree with this proposal?
Yes . Meanwhile, separate
co-determination talks at
Sonera?s consumer business functions continue with the aim of axing
around 40 jobs. must keep records of
where the ashes of each cremated person are placed.
This is why the ashes cannot
be handed over until the next
of kin have announced where
they plan to place them.
A permit must be applied
from the regional administration if you want to place a
monument at the place where
the ashes were scattered.
The permit may only be applied by the owner or holder
of the land in question.
Head of Of?ce Jukka Keskitalo of the National Church
Board says that the law states
that a site becomes a private
burial site if a monument is
erected where the ashes were
scattered, and a permit is required in such a case.
Longest trip to be
cremated from Utsjoki
The popularity of cremation
varies a great deal in different parts of Finland. H T
IT SOMETIMES comes as a
surprise to the next of kin
that the ashes of a deceased
person cannot be scattered
anywhere. In
addition, the American ?nancial services company
restored outlook on Finland to stable, by removing
the negative implications
attached roughly a year
ago. The oldest crematorium in Finland
is the one in Hietaniemi, Helsinki. 36,2%
Some people may wish their ashes to scattered in a favourite beauty spot, perhaps a lake where they spent vacations, but the reality is
not as simple as that.
Law determines where ashes
of a deceased can be scattered
Number of cremations almost tripled
in twenty years.
S I N I I H A N A I N E N - A L A N KO . Metsähallitus has dedicated sea areas in front of
some cities where ashes
can be scattered without
a separate permit.
. Meanwhile,
the hunt for a ?fth suspect
continues. If the ashes of a deceased
are not picked up within 12
months of the cremation,
the party maintaining the
crematorium will scatter
the ashes on a cemetery
and send a bill to the estate of the deceased.
. 23 JANUARY 2013
DOMESTIC
HELSINKI TIMES
COLUMN
Police hunt for
fifth suspect in
firearms theft in
Riihimäki
Four men are held in suspicion of ?rearms theft
in Riihimäki, after three
were detained for probable cause of aggravated theft and aggravated
?rearms offence on Monday. People have been cremated there since 1926.
According to the head of?ce of Keskitalo, the number of cremations in whole of
Finland has almost tripled in
the past twenty years.
The longest distance to a
crematorium is from Utsjoki:
the deceased must be transported hundreds of kilometres to be cremated.
Keskitalo says that the
long distances are one expla-
Most deceased
placed on parish land
. HT-STT
Standard &
Poor?s affirms
Finland?s AAArating
The credit rating agency, Standard & Poor?s, has
af?rmed Finland?s AAA
credit rating, the Finnish Ministry of Finance
declared on Monday. 63,8%
M AR T TI K AINUL AINEN
View details and this week?s question at www.helsinkitimes.fi.
Who:
Janne Ahonen
From:
Lahti
Famous for:
One of the most successful ski
jumpers of all time, Ahonen this
week announced his return from
retirement with an eye on a medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Ahonen, known in Finland as Kuningaskotka (The King Eagle), is
ski jumping?s all-time leader in World Cup points, with 36 victories, 108 podiums and 245 Top 10 appearances from 1992 to 2011.
The former Finnish Sports Personality of the Year has legions of
fans outside Finland, in part due to his no-nonsense, often sardonic, sense of humour. Inspector Ari Turunen
of the Kanta-Häme Police
Department, however, reminds that the number of
missing ?rearms is yet to
be con?rmed. His record of five World Championships, two World Cup
overall victories and a record-breaking five victories in the Four
Hills Tournament might be enough for most ski jumpers, but
the lack of Olympic success will have niggled at the back of the
35-year-old?s mind, and is certainly the reason for his return.
kin to scatter the ashes at a
favoured ?shing spot, for example,. Scattering ashes close to
a spring or in a groundwater area is not recommended.
Source: National Church Board
nation why so few people are
cremated in the Oulu Diocese.
He also believes that there are
regional cultural differences
that in?uence creamation.
?I myself hail from the
Tornionjoki River Valley where
people are far less used to the
idea of cremation than people living in the Helsinki Metropolitan region, for example,
where there are already long
traditions in cremation.?. The worst case
scenario is that the wish expressed by the loved one prior to their death cannot be
satis?ed, because the law determines how ashes must be
handed over to the next of
kin and where they can be
placed.
At least in Jyväskylä, the
next of kin must have a written permit from the landowner or water cooperative
prior to scattering the ashes. When once asked why he didn?t smile on the
podium, Ahonen replied, ?We came here to jump and not to smile.?
The only accolade to elude Ahonen has been an individual
medal at any of the five Olympics he has taken part in . That
amounts to less than 5% of
all the cremated people.
. S T T
TA RU L A I H O . According to
Turunen, all the suspects
have had previous run-ins
with the law.
HT-STT
Sonera looks to
slash 235 jobs
As part of extensive restructuring measures, the
telecommunications operator, Sonera, will launch
co-determination negotiations with the aim of slashing a maximum of 235 jobs.
The measures entail
the consolidation of several customer service
units and the realignment
of Sonera?s global mobile networks technology
unit. ?We are trying to ?gure out whether
14 is indeed the right number and, if not, what types
of guns are missing,
Typically, victims of human
traf?cking in Finland
are employees of the
restaurant sector from
Southeast Asia. ?The
divorce happened some
time ago, not in the recent weeks or months,?
she points out. The
District Court of Lapland
has hitherto detained
two men from Rovaniemi in relation to the case,
which . ?Since the 1960s,
we only know of one incident
where a woman has committed a so-called family murder,. The couple are
believed to have sold the collector roughly 200 works, al-
Works by Russian avant-garde artists displayed at the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum turned out to be forgeries. reveals Lehti.
Studies suggest that child
homicides are typically associated with parents. S T T
LAST YEAR , the numbers of
under 15-year-old children
killed at the hands of another
person remained exceptionally high in Finland for the
second consecutive year. highlights
Minna Piispa, a development
manager at National Institute for Health and Welfare.
Mothers behind infant
homicides, fathers
behind family murders
Although the recent tragic crimes have been committed by fathers, long-term
statistics indicate that under
15-year-old children are more
likely to be killed by their
mothers. according to the
local police . economic concerns. ?Relatively few infant homicides have occurred
in recent years,. HT-STT
Nova Group
executives
contest economic
crimes charges
The trial of two former
Nova Group executives
accused of economic
crimes in relation to the
2007 election funding
scandal commenced at
the Court of Appeal of
Helsinki on 9 January. The court of
appeal will essentially deliberate on Nova Group?s
spending, characterised as
irresponsible and negligent
by the prosecution. ?Contacts from the
?eld increase, but not all
victims want to resort to
of?cial assistance.?
Last year, the assistance system recognised
a total of 94 victims or
suspected victims of human traf?cking. ?This is not a
horrible crime wave yet,. According to
Inspector Mia Tuominen,
the suspect and the victim were divorced. In
Helsinki, a school-aged girl
was found dead soon after
her return to the custody of
an abusive father. Their mother is currently awaiting trial
on suspicion of two cases of
manslaughter.
Last year was exceptionally bleak especially
due to the number of incidents involving several children. he
maintains.
Experts have attributed
the recent spike in child homicides to ?amboyant news reports, on the one hand, and
cuts in services and bene?ts for families, on the other.
?For example, currently the
resources for home help services are almost fully directed to elder care. H T
ANNELI TERVO . Norman believes
the suspects should step
down from their position in the Swedish stateowned company in order
to sustain con?dence in
TeliaSonera.
HT-STT
Police arrest
Askola killing
suspect
The police have arrested a man suspected of
killing his former wife in
Askola, eastern Uusimaa.
The body of the roughly 40-year-old victim was
found in a ditch by the
main road 55 in Askola,
on 7 January. You basically
have to be a customer of child
A father stabbed his wife and two daughters to death in a flat in
Helsinki?s Bulevardi last April.
welfare services to receive
help at home,. H T
M I A P E LT O L A . A child homicide
may, for example, be a parent?s way of exacting revenge
on one?s partner or saving the
child from the cruel world.
the curator of the exhibition,
could not be summoned for
the district court hearing.
In contrast, the defence
counsel argues that the museum requested the works
for the exhibition. HT-STT
5. The police have yet to
determine whether the victim was murdered at the
site of discovery. However, the ?gures reveal little of the extent of human traf?cking
in Finland, stresses Jari
Kähkönen, the director of
Joutseno Reception Centre. HT-STT
Victims of human
trafficking
typically
restaurant
workers from
Southeast Asia
In 2012, 48 people were directed to the assistance
system established for
victims of human traf?cking. In addition, the art collector has
not initiated any legal action
against the dealer couple, because he believes he has not
been deceived. The direct ?nancial costs of the
economic crimes to, for
example, the tax administration are an estimated
one million euro. According to
the prosecution, the origin
of the paintings and the suspicions over their authenticity were concealed from the
buyer.
The art collector, in turn,
offered the works to exhibitions in Turku and Hämeenlinna, regardless of his own
suspicions over their authenticity. 23 JANUARY 2013
L E H T I K U VA / J U S S I N U K A R I
COLUMN
TeliaSonera
chiefs suspected
of acceptance of
bribes
Police cordoned off the house belonging to the couple suspected of killing two infants in Klaukkala, Nurmijärvi In October.
L E H T I K U VA / J U S S I N U K A R I
Sadly 2012 was a bleak year
for child homicide statistics
The unusually high incidence of child homicides is not an indication of a crime trend,
expert maintains.
A L E K S I T E I VA I N E N . Elsewhere
in Helsinki, a father stabbed
his wife and two daughters to
death. mental
health problems, the end of a
relationship or . S T T
collector from Turku
and an art dealer couple are
suspected of aggravated
L E H T I K U VA / RO N I L E H T I
AN ART
fraud and forgery in relation
to an exhibition at the Wäinö
Aaltonen Museum of Art in
Turku in 2009. In addition, the prosecution claims the man told
representatives of the museums that the paintings had
been acquired decades ago by
his father.
District court hearing
The suspects deny all charges. Of?cial
assistance to the victims
entails housing arrangements, legal counselling
and other support measures.
HT-STT
Lapland police
investigate
economic crime
cases
Last week, a preliminary
investigation into a series
of economic crimes was
launched in Lapland. is of exceptional breadth.
The case entails several counts of suspected
aggravated accounting
offences and aggravated tax frauds. CRIME
HELSINKI TIMES
17 . Newspaper reports have tentatively
identi?ed one of the suspects as Tero Kivisaari,
TeliaSonera?s
Finnish
President of the Eurasia
business area.
TeliaSonera will not reconsider the position of
the executives concerned,
unless irregularities are
exposed in its internal
probe.
Thereby, the telecoms
operator dismissed demands for suspensions by
Peter Norman, the Swedish Minister for Financial
Markets. The numbers indicate
a marginal decline from
2011, when 52 people were
directed to the assistance
system. The
defendants, Arto Merisalo and Tapani Yli-Saunamäki, were previously
sentenced to respective
prison terms of six years
and three years and six
months by the District
Court of Helsinki. In addition,
investigation into two
counts of suspected aggravated dishonesty by a
debtor is ongoing. Pictured a Lissitzkyn
scetch book currently held by Turku police.
legedly by renowned Russian
avant-garde artists, between
2005 and 2009. Meanwhile,
the Visual Artists. In October, the tragic statistics swell further, after the bodies of two infants
were discovered in Klaukka-
la, Nurmijärvi. Lehti says.
Art dealer couple and
collector on trial for forgery
A L E K S I T E I VA I N E N . However, Yli-Saunamäki had
been released from prison due to health issues.
The suspects have declared intention to contest
all charges. The former couple were, however, amid a child custody
dispute.
Tuominen refuses to
comment on the method
of killing, but reveals that
external signs of violence
were detected on the victim. in the case
of family murders . However, statistical
anomalies in the last decade have been considerable, reminds Martti Lehti, a
senior researcher at the National Research Institute of
Legal Policy. By
late June, ten suspected child
homicides had been reported
to the police, while the annual average for the past decade is ?ve incidents.
In early 2012, a father shot
his three children to death
before committing suicide
in Pomarkku, Satakunta. The prime suspect in the
preliminary investigation,
Family murders, in turn, are
virtually invariably committed by men. Copyright
Association, Kuvasto, has tabled damages claims of nearly 100,000 euro for copyright
infringements.
Two TeliaSonera executives are suspected of
acceptance of bribes in
relation to TeliaSonera?s
transactions with the Uzbekistani government.
A police investigation into the dealings has been
launched. Both
defendants are also facing
bribery charges in a separate criminal trial related to
the Nova Group. The art dealer couple call for the dismissal of all charges, claiming all
works were sold in 1999 at
the latest.
According to the prosecution, the art collector paid a
total of 192,000 euro for the
paintings in eight tranches,
the last of which was paid in
the 2000s.
The city of Turku is demanding 46,000 euro and
Hämeenlinna 2,800 euro in
compensation
Vartiainen says.
?Publicity has a mean
streak in Finland by nature.
Juxtaposition between people, paying attention to them
and guessing their motives is
common.?
?Instead of discussing matters it becomes a matter of
oneself. The corresponding ?gure for the Left Alliance is 55
per cent.?
L E H T I K U VA / M A R K K U U L A N D E R
A survey reveals that 35 per cent of Finns believe that Alexander
Stubb is still the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
AAMULEHTI 12 January
?THE DIVORCED
middle-aged
are currently into internet
dating. Instead I
was faced with someone who
was chubby and 168 centimetres tall,. as a young
person it was desirable to be
independent and have some
own space,. My father was
a devoted supporter of the National Coalition . Punaruusu says.
?I tried the internet and I
found a woman. We agreed
to go for a few drinks during
the upcoming weekend. Supporters of the Green Party make
up the exception, as they are
often educated, yet only 18
per cent of them are able to
name all government parties. and
other dating nightmares
Fly Icelandair
to 10 destinations
in North America
New! Two weekly flights
to Anchorage, Alaska
from May 15th 2013
Campaign prices starting from ?249 to Iceland
and ?499 to North America
. Up
to 35 per cent believe that the
Minister for European Affairs
and Foreign Trade Alexander
Stubb is the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and only 45 per
cent recognise that Erkki Tuomioja holds the latter post.
The same survey places men on a much more informed scale than women: 27
per cent of women and 41 per
cent of men could name all six
government parties. Only a third recognise
all government parties.
Almost one third of the
population believe that the
Centre Party has been in the
government since the Parliamentary elections of 2011. We should now compile and review the information from the concerned time
period,. Haavisto, Chair of the
Advisory Board on Romani Affairs reported to Turun Sanomat that he has recommended
to Minister of Health and Social Services Maria Guzenina-Richardson (SDP) the
founding of an inquest group.
The Advisory Board has yet to
make an of?cial proposal on
the matter. I have heard
orphanages for Romani chil- shocking accounts on events
in orpahanages from older
Romanis. I have been waiting for
ani children in orphanages.
Haavisto demands an in- the inquest to be put into moquest on the circumstances of tion in Finland. After several drinks
we went to my place, where
we exchanged passionate
kisses on my sofa. Amongst the children placed in orphanages
and foster homes were Romani children evacuated from
?MP PEKKA HAAVISTO (Greens
Party) states that he has been Karelia [in the 1940s].
?Those who have lived in
contacted by Romanis on
countless occasions with re- Romani orphanages in the
ports of mistreatments of Rom- 1950s have a high degree of suicides. The
evening went well, and she
was very pleasant, smart and
pretty. According to a survey
by TNS Gallup 45-65-year-olds
make up the group most interested in online dating services.
The internet may be the
way to ?nd a soulmate or
things could go terribly wrong.
Ilta-Sanomat compiled a list
of terrible online dating experiences from readers.
?He said he was tall, slim
and very athletic. Aidosti Mies says.
One should be cautious
about online dating, as the
person may not be what they
say they are.?
KAUPPALEHTI 12 January
?I was more clearly a Social Democrat in the 1990s. We didn?t
take things further, although
she stayed beside me to
sleep. Haavisto says.
Maria Guzenina-Richardson says that an inquest on
the past of all Finnish child
welfare has been initiated.?
Ilta-sanomat: ?A woman
turned out to be a man. The next morning was
unforgettable: turns out it
wasn?t girl of my dreams but
a prince,. Jonna says.
?The online aqcuaintance
was polite and nice in real
life. book before February 15th.
Take advantage of an Iceland stopover
at no additional airfare.
+ Book your flight at www.icelandair.fi
?Publicity
is mean in
Finland?
?JUHANA VARTIAINEN ?nds it
strange that Finnish discussion moves away from focusing on matters to focusing on
oneself. Research reveals
that children do not bene?t
from staying at home after
their second year.. I
ran for the Parliament in 1995.
My basic attitude corresponds
to an Athenian take on a free
man being able to be somewhat active and trying to in?uence things. TEEMU LUUKKA
Only a third of Finnish people
can name government parties
?ACCORDING to a survey by
Helsingin Sanomat a third of
Finns believe that the government includes the Centre Party and that the Minister for
Foreign Affairs is Alexander
Stubb. 23 JANUARY 2013
FROM FINNISH PRESS
HELSINKI TIMES
T R A N S L AT E D B Y A N N I K A R A U TA KO U R A
HELSINGIN SANOMAT 13 January. When we headed towards
his apartment, he opened the
door and said: ?Did I mention
like sadomasochistic tyingup games?. Is Juhana a right winger, a Social Democrat, does he
hate stay-at-home moms??
?I have pointed out that
now that we must go through
all the working force potential, housewives are a group
which could be utilised to increase participation in the labour force. ?
TURUN SANOMAT 12 January dren. 17 . ?I am absolutely taken with the Nordic welfare
society, and everything I say
aims at preserving it.?
Histories
of Finnish
orphanages
to be
investigated
L E H T I K U VA / K I M M O M Ä N T Y L Ä
6
Pekka Haavisto recommends
an inquest on the history of orphanages for Romani children.. Only 11
per cent of 15- to 25-year-olds
could state government parties, whereas 47 per cent of
over 65-year-olds remember
all parties in Jyrki Katainen?s
(NCP) government.
Education, income and
status in?uence how much
people know: the poor, unemployed and less educated
know signi?cantly less than
the educated, working and
top-earning people
According to a Commission proposal, the Internal Fund would be 4.6 billion
euro annually, and among its
strategic priorities will be ?to
?nance the setting up of the
EES and the RTP as well as
the introduction and operation of the EUROSUR, notably through ?the purchase of
equipment, infrastructure and
systems in member states.?
It would also ?boost the
operational potential of the
Frontex Agency by inviting
member states to earmark additional resources under their
programmes for specialised
equipment which can be put
at the disposal of the Agency
for its joint operations.?
In early December, the
European Parliament gave a
green light to the Internal Security Fund. Through 2014-2020
member states will be encouraged to buy such equipment with support from the
EU budget.
The Commission estimates that the creation of
EUROSUR could cost up to
338 million euro. (EES)
to identify visa overstayers,
and establish a Registered
Traveller Programme (RTP)
to enable pre-vetted individuals to cross borders faster.
The system would rely heavi-
ly on use of biometrics and on
the collection of a huge database of passenger personal
information.
A legislative package setting up EUROSUR was approved in mid-November last
year by the European Parliament?s civil liberties committee and is expected to receive
a ?nal go-ahead soon from
the entire Parliament and
by the European Council, the
EU?s executive. ?Against the
background of pervasive
budget cuts and austerity measures, it is unbelievable that the EU is spending
millions of euros for ?smart
gates?, UAVs, and other surveillance technologies.?
?And it is even more
shameful that those who
pro?t most from EUROSUR and ?smart borders. 23 JANUARY 2013
7
Report claims that at current trends we will need another half a
planet to keep up with demand for food from agriculture.
STEFAN LE AHY
IPS
EXPERTS on the health of our
planet are terri?ed of the future. The Commission
refutes the higher estimates.
The ?Smart Gates. All nations
need to do everything they
can to reduce their emissions
of fossil fuels regardless of actions or lack of them by any
other country, he said.
Protection of the Earth?s
biodiversity must take centre stage in all policy and
economic decisions. Agriculture
must shift from fossil-fuel intensive industrial monocul-
tures to ecologically-based
systems of food production.
Resilience and ?exibility will
be essential for civilisation to
survive.
A key element in meeting this unprecedented challenge is ??to see ourselves as
utterly embedded in nature
and not somehow separate
from those precious systems
that sustain all life?, writes
England?s Prince Charles
commenting on the Ehrlich?s
paper.
?To continue with ?business as usual. said
Paul Ehrlich, President of the
Centre for Conservation Biology at Stanford University.
?But we must tell the
truth about what?s happening and challenge people to
do something to prevent it,?
Ehrlich explained.
Global collapse of human civilisation seems likely,
write Ehrlich and his partner
Anne Ehrlich in the prestigious science journal, Proceedings of the Royal Society.
This collapse will take the
form of a ??gradual breakdown because famines, epi-
natural resources and the
resulting damage to life-sustaining services nature provides means we need another
half of a planet to keeping going. INTERNATIONAL NEWS
HELSINKI TIMES
17 . It doesn?t take
an expert to conclude that
collapse of civilisation will be
unavoidable without major
changes.
We?re facing a future
where billions will likely die,
and yet little is being done
to avoid certain disaster, he
said.
?Policy makers and the
public aren?t terri?ed about
this because they don?t
have the information or the
knowledge about how our
planet functions,. which will put in place
an ?Entry-Exit System. Such systems may
now become part of an EU-wide plan.
claims the costs could ?easily. Borderline,
a study of the EU?s new border surveillance and control system published by
the Heinrich Boll Foundation,
The report, Can a collapse of global civilisation be avoided?, claims that food consumption will soon
exceed for production.
3,000 experts concluded humanity is facing a ?planetary emergency. Food production is humanity?s biggest
industry and is already being
affected by climate and other environmental problems.
?No civilisation can avoid collapse if it fails to feed its population,. assessment at the
Planet Under Pressure conference in London. member states are expected to
make a ?nal decision on the
next EU Budget in February
2013.
?The European border security policy is going in the
wrong direction,. Mooney said.
Solutions exist and are
brie?y outlined in the Ehrlich
paper. Major security
and weapons companies are
already reaping the bene?ts.
Frontex, the EU border
agency, has ?nanced major
weapons and security equipment producers to present
their equipment in demonstrations. are
the big European defence
contractors.?. Water
and energy systems must be
re-engineered. They can clearly see the
coming collapse of global civilisation from an array of interconnected environmental
problems.
?We?re all scared,. said Pat Mooney, head of
the international environmental organisation ETC Group.
?The lack of attention is a
tragedy,. said Ehrlich, who is an
eminent biologist and winner
of many scienti?c awards.
Our reality is that current overconsumption of
L E H T I K U VA / P E K K A S A K K I
Experts fear collapse of global civilisation
A new electronic system has been introduced at Finland?s border with Russia. initiative is estimated by the Commission to cost 400 million
euro for setting up plus an
additional 190 million euro
annually in operating costs.
According to the Borderline study, ?despite the
absence of any draft legislation, or even an agreement
in principle on introducing
smart borders in the EU, the
Commission has already allocated 1.1 billion euro to the
development of an EES (EU
Entry Exit System) and RTP
(EU Registered Traveller Programme) from the proposed
EU Internal Security Fund
(2014-2020).?
The Internal Security
Fund is meant to be a new
component of the future EU
budget (2014-2020), replacing
the existing External Border
Fund. Meanwhile,
preparations for EUROSUR
are advancing away from
public scrutiny.
The demonstrations of
market ready equipment
are a signi?cant measure in
the steady construction of a
new EU border management
system. And that?s if all seven billion remain at their current
living standards, the Ehrlichs write.
Population is
projected to increase
If everyone lived like a US
citizen, another four or ?ve
planets would be needed.
Global population is projected to increase by 2.5 billion by 2050. end up as high as 874 million euro. is an act of suicide on a gargantuan scale,?
Prince Charles concluded.
L E H T I K U VA / H E I K K I S A U K KO M A A A
UXBRIDGE, CANADA
demics and resource shortages cause a disintegration of
central control within nations,
in concert with disruptions
of trade and con?icts over increasingly scarce necessities?,
they write.
Already two billion people
are hungry today. and there
was no time to lose in making
large-scale changes.
In 2010, a coalition of the
national scienti?c bodies and
international scienti?c unions
from 141 countries warned
that ?the continued functioning of the Earth system as we
know it is at risk?.
?The situation is absolutely desperate and yet there?s
nothing on the front pages or
on the agenda of world leaders,. Green euro-parliamentarian Ska Keller told IPS. published last week.
Dozens of earth systems experts were consulted in writing the 10-page
paper that contains over 160
references.
?We talked to many of the
world?s leading experts to re?ect what is really happening,. he said.
Last March, the world?s
scienti?c community provided the ?rst-ever ?state of the
planet. More than
Closing Europe?s borders
becomes big business
EU border agency courts defence contractors as part of planned
increased border controls.
ATHENS, GREECE
APOSTOLIS FOTIADIS,
CL AUDIA CIOBANU
IPS
Union is implementing a new border
management system with
tougher migration control
the core aim. European national
border guards have participated in these demonstrations as potential customers.
Frontex con?rmed that
the agency has been paying
weapons and security equipment manufacturers to par-
THE EUROPEAN
ticipate in demonstrations
of equipment which national
agencies attended as potential customers.
The demonstrations are
part of the preparation for
the launch of EUROSUR, the
European External Border
Surveillance System meant
to enhance cooperation between border control agencies of EU member states
and to promote surveillance
of EU?s external borders by
Frontex, with a particular focus on the Mediterranean and
North Africa, in view of controlling migration to Europe.
Surveillance plans envisage the possibility of using drones to spot migrant
boats trying to cross the
Mediterranean.
EUROSUR is one of the two
main elements of Europe?s
new border management regime along with ?Smart Borders. the authors say.
Escalating climate disruption, ocean acidi?cation, oceanic dead zones, depletion of
groundwater and extinctions
of plants and animals are the
main drivers of the coming collapse, they write in their peerreviewed article Can a collapse
of global civilisation be avoided. However, these require
sweeping changes. Now only Council approval is needed for it to
become operational
So Osborne was certainly thinking of
voters back home when he said what he did.
politician Tip O?Neill famously explained that ?All politics is local,. a mantra endlessly and mindlessly repeated by Finnish
politicians.
THE GREATEST
YET THIS is nebulous and pharisaic. Yet if the
situation in other EU countries is any indication of Finland?s future, the problem is
far from being ?xed.
Throughout the past two
years a number of cases re-
garding the exploitation of
foreign workers have been
documented. Foreigners typically accept such low wages
because of their poverty, lack
of awareness of their own
rights, or isolation.
Outrage develops because
this is believed to unfairly exploit the foreign workers as well as cheat native
Finnish labourers of jobs. Unfortunately
we have precedents to ?ght this claim: Norway is only
a member of the European Economic Area, while
There is nothing
Switzerland is practicalwrong in losing an ly a member via bilateral
election; it is wrong treaties giving it freedom
of trade. 8
BUSINESS
17 . In member state after
member state, people see what participation in the
European Union costs, but it is dif?cult to see the
bene?ts.
THE AMERICAN
advantage of the EU, most proponents
claim, is access to the single market. I believe the core of the EU problems is that
it is undemocratic. Not because they should leave . Assignments are often
awarded to the lowest bidder,
who might keep costs low
by bringing in workers from
low-wage countries.
Yet it occurs in other industries as well, and sometimes foreign workers
already resident in a country are exploited. Germany initially passed legislation
that only applied to the construction industry, which forbade employers to pay less
than a minimum wage agreed
in domestic standard wage
agreements. is
becoming more common
The EU allows the free movement of labour,
but a problem develops if an immigrant is
willing to work for much less than a native.
DAV I D J . or as ?freelancers?
and paid at rates that are a tiny fraction of that stipulated in collective bargaining
agreements. Someone needed to say it.
Safety instructions for Finnish and foreign workers at the Olkiluoto
3 nuclear power plant.
THE UK?S threat to pull out of the EU is a good thing, I
believe. In such an
environment, it is surprising that so many people are
actually in favour of the EU.
The Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant, where YLE discovered some Polish workers were paid less than two euros per hour.
?Wage dumping. on the contrary: the UK must stay if it is to be a real viable European-wide institution, and membership is best for its
citizens . +358-9-616 621
info@hotelanna.fi
www.hotelanna.fi
op. 23 JANUARY 2013
HELSINKI TIMES
L E H T I K U VA / A N T T I A I M O - KO I V I S T O
David J. This happened in the Olkiluoto case,
when the utility Teollisuuden
Voima and the general contractor said they couldn?t be
accountable because subcontractors were responsible for
paying particular workers.
To combat this, some countries are introducing ?chain
liability,. Politicians know
the people are not enamoured with the EU. Of course, to understand
these proposals we need to remember the domestic political situation in the UK. A survey published in the Observer showed that 53% of Brits believed they should
withdraw from the EU if they couldn?t get a repatriation of powers. There is nothing wrong in losing an election; it is
wrong not being able to vote.
Cosy hotel in the heart of Helsinki
Annankatu 1, 00120 Helsinki
tel. because it is undemocratic, and so
politicians don?t want to give the people a say in membership, being even more undemocratic. There is also talk of a referendum on EU membership after a renegotiation of
Britain?s involvement.
SUCH Euroskeptic proposals have provoked a storm of
protest, as could be expected. A more common, and
legal, method is for workers
to be classi?ed as ?self-employed. This starts a vicious cycle: people
want to vote ?no. The most prolific offender was the construction industry. intentions enshrined in the
workings of the EU must include a repatriation of powers to the people. where general contractors can be held liable for
labour agreement violations
by their subcontractors.
Switzerland passed such a
law early in January.
Another way to combat
wage dumping is to stipulate minimum wages. Cord david@helsinkitimes.fi
The writer is a journalist and columnist for Helsinki Times.
He is also a private investor with over ten years of experience.
Britain?s threat to leave
the EU is a good thing
A GROUP of Conservative MPs went further, with a list
of 130 different powers they wanted back in domestic
hands and away from the EU. Typically,
foreign workers are offered
wages and bene?ts that are
far below Finnish standards.
Sometimes workers are simply paid in cash, and the
transaction is clearly in the
black market and clearly illegal. Experience has shown that when the people are given choices
in a referendum, often the people?s voice is a resounding ?No.. This rule came into force on 1 September 2012
for new construction sites
and will spread to old sites on
1 March 2013.
The most common defence when accused of wage
dumping is to disavow responsibility and blame it on
subcontractors. Good for him. To
compete against the cheaper labour, native Finns might
feel it necessary to accept
lower wages, too, just so they
have some work.
The practice is thought to
be widespread: the Confederation of Finnish Construction
Industries says that about
30 per cent of construction
workers are foreigners, and
Jouni Ruotsalainen of the
Turku branch of the Finnish
Construction Trade Union
has told YLE that he guesses 70 per cent of the foreign
workers labour in the grey
economy, off the of?cial
books.
Fighting wage dumping
To combat this, it is now necessary for all workers on a
construction site to wear a
name badge that includes
their photo and Finnish tax
identi?cation number. comes
from the German Lohndumping and generally refers to offering wages
much lower than is normal
in an industry, often to foreign workers brought in
specifically for the job.
?Social dumping,. A notorious
incident was at the Olkiluoto
3 nuclear power plant, where
YLE discovered some Polish
workers were paid less than
two euros per hour.
Widespread practice
In the construction sector, the situation develops
through the complex nature of projects, where a
plethora of contractors and
subcontractors may develL E H T I K U VA / J U S S I N U K A R I
LAST WEEK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne told Die Welt the EU must change if the UK was
to remain part of it in the future. When this
is pointed out, EU advocates say membership gives ?a
seat at the table where decisions are made,. C O R D
HEL SINKI TIMES
THE LAST couple of years have
seen an in?ux of foreign construction workers in Finland
who were paid salaries far
below domestic standards.
Under intense public pressure of?cials quickly acted,
and the issue disappeared
from the headlines. I have absolutely no problem with
a federal Europe, as long as citizens are given a real
voice. With
a tax number, every worker
will be in the Finnish system,
in some cases paying Finnish taxes, and under some
Finnish collective bargaining rules. as defined by the EU, is when
a low-wage country exports goods to a high-wage
country, hence hurting society and labour standards.. They get the bennot being able to
e?ts of free trade withvote.
out the hassles of full EU
membership. but because the threats of leaving may force
real changes in the relevant treaties to give the people
a voice in how decisions are made.
THE ?EVER closer union. The idea of a
minimum wage has been discussed in a variety of European countries, and there has
even been a movement for an
EU-wide minimum wage.
Opponents, mostly adherents of free market ideology,
point out that this discriminates against citizens of the
new EU countries, whose one
competitive advantage is the
willingness to work for more
modest wages.
Terminology
?Wage dumping. and this is what is
happening in Europe today
Ficora continues to
refund pre-paid TV fees for
2013. So far,
pre-paid payments have been
refunded to about 80,000 customers. ?Respect for the
memory of the deceased sailors is very important for their
?RUSSIA expressed its gratitude to Helsinki for recognising the site of a Soviet
submarine that went down in
Finnish waters in 1940.
?We are grateful to our
partners for their favourable
family and friends, and for all
citizens of Russia.?
Finnish of?cials noti?ed
Russia that the list of Russian
(Soviet) military graves now
includes the site of the Soviet
Baltic Fleet submarine C-2??
BLOOMBERG 9 January. 23 JANUARY 2013
9
L E H T I K U VA / M A R K K U U L A N D E R
RUSSIA TODAY 11 January. the Foreign Ministry?s information
and press department said in
a statement. Refunds will be paid to a total of
L E H T I K U VA / H E I K K I S A U K KO M A A
Finland collects 377 million
euro in TV fees in 2012
The Allegro already runs from Helsinki to St Petersburg, and now a new service runs to Petrozavodsk, the capital of the Republic of Karelia.
RAIL.COM 10 January. ROBERT BRIDGE
Finland formally recognises military
grave of Russian submarine wreck
decision on an issue that is signi?cant for Russia,. DAVID MACDOUGALL,
MATTI HUUTANET
Light and sound installations at the Helsinki Lux Festival brought crowds at the
city landmarks joined by lanterns hanging in trees along
a path of light bordering the
frozen Baltic Sea through
town buildings providing a parks and on city footpaths,
?FINLAND?S capital is aglow
with colourful lights and la- much-needed burst of illu- where the shortest period
sers piercing the black winter mination during the darkest of daylight in midwinter is
about ?ve hours long??
skies and lighting up down- days of the year.
Finland: Helsinki
lights up in winter dark
TELECOMPAPER 11 January
?FINNISH telecom regulator Ficora collected a total of
377 million euro in TV fees in
2012 that is higher than the
estimated goal of 21 million
euro. Before the YLE tax was
approved by the Parliament
in June 2012, TV fee invoices
extending to 2013 were sent
to some of the customers. The sum dropped
by 29,695 noti?cations during 2012. It must guard
against excessive spending
cuts that would kill economic momentum, said Kim Pessala, chief investment of?cer
at Evli Bank Oyj??
THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD 10 January. 09-2511 110, expo@arvelin.?
www.arvelin.?. MARC JOHNSON
New services launched
between Russia and Finland
?RUSSIAN Railways (RZD) has
begun operating a new international service between
Petrozavodsk, the capital of
the Republic of Karelia, and
Finland.
The Federal Passenger
Company, a subsidiary of
RZD, is looking into running
a regular overnight service
on the route after tickets for
a trial run between Petrozavodsk and Joensuu, the
capital of North Karelia in
Finland, on 28 December sold
out within a week.
SCANDASIA.COM 10 January
TV license fees are still being collected in Finland for 2012.
260,000 customers. After a speculation over this
Deputy managing director
of the Federal Passenger Company Oleg Nikitin said: ?In late
September 2012, the Federal
Passenger Company and the
Republic of Karelia signed a
cooperation agreement regarding this service??
year?s recession period being extended to the forth
quarter, some of businesses
in Finland have already set
their eyes on the international markets for help.
Manufacturers, including
engineering company Metso
Oyj (MEO1V) and papermaker
UPM-Kymmene Oyj (UPM1V),
are moving production closer
to their customers in emerging markets in response to a
global shift in demand??
Start your weekend
with news in English
Why not add Helsinki Times
to your morning coffee?
Stay informed about news and current affairs in
Finland by subscribing to the weekly Helsinki Times.
To subscribe, e-mail subscribe@helsinkitimes.fi
Visit www.helsinkitimes.fi
for a daily Finnish news update in English.
Kauppakartanonkatu 7, 00930 Helsinki
Puh. In the end of 2012, the
number of TV fees totalled
1.852,624 million, which was
only about 1.5 per cent less
than in 2011. KATI POHJANPALO
Finland fiscal talks set fate
of best AAA: Nordic credit
The government is gearing up for talks that risk
revealing ?ssures in the sixparty coalition over how to
balance the budget and foster growth amid a ?fth year
whose bonds were
the best performing among
AAA rated nations last year,
now faces tough choices on
spending and taxes to maintain it?s pre-eminence.
?FINLAND
of de?cits. Due to
the large number of refunded payments, the process is
carried out in stages and continues until May 2013. Ficora will not only
continue to refund payments,
but will collect debts too??
China and
Vietnam, Finland?s
Tsunami rescuers
?MANUFACTURERS in Finland
are moving production closer
to their customers in emerg-
ing markets in response to a
global shift in demand. FINLAND IN THE WORLD PRESS
HELSINKI TIMES
17
adult upper secondary institutions, folk high schools,
vocational institutes, universities, polytechnics and
private service providers ?
also offer teaching on weekends, in the evenings and in
intensive periods.
The offerings include degree programmes, preparatory training, general education
and on-the-job training for
employees. 15.3.2013,
www.haenyt.fi.
t Your guidance counselor must also send The English
School application form to us by March 28, 2013
Open House
Thursday 17.1.2013 at 16.00 . says Hakola. ?People who
entered the labour market
early in their lives may decide to pursue their dream
jobs after ten or twenty years
of work,. They offer new
opportunities.?
Some have no need for
such incentives. As
labour force needs plummet across ailing industries,
a career change becomes inevitable for many, while others prepare for redundancies
amid deteriorating job security by acquiring new skills
or re?ning old ones in adult
education.
The demand for adult education services has rocketed, con?rms Nina Hakola, a
manager at Studentum.. ?The
one-year programmes in
manual skills and languages
are extremely popular. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Culture
recognises that adult education also promotes national
efforts to extend careers, reduce unemployment and enhance productivity.
In an evolving employment landscape with ever-increasing redundancies, adult
education facilitates the
Recreational courses in languages, for example, are a good way
to enhance employment prospects.
transition of employees from
one industry to another.
According to Hakola, middle-aged people concerned
about employment prospects
have emerged among the largest user groups of adult education. The
more than 1,000 providers
of adult education services
. 17.30
Wednesday 6.2.2013 at 16.00 . 17.30
www.eschool.edu.hel.fi
Valimotie 17-19, 00380 Helsinki
Mailing Address: The English School,
Mäntytie 14, 00270 Helsinki
CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE
Valimotie 17-19, 00380 Helsinki. In times of uncertainty, these people want to obtain
a formal quali?cation.?
Moreover, the shortterm recreational study programmes offered by folk high
schools are popular. 23
JANUARY
2013
11
11
L E H T I K U VA / J A R N O M E L A
Adult education revives careers
Demand for adult education is projected to rocket after a record-high year of lay-offs.
A L E K S I T E I VA I N E N
HEL SINKI TIMES
L E H T I K U VA / S A R I GU S TA F S S O N
LAY-OFFS and co-determination procedures increased
dramatically in Finland in
2012, suggests the Central Organisation for Finnish Trade Unions, SAK. 23
JANUARY
2013
17 17
. According to Studentum.?, nearly 1.7 million
Finns partake in adult education every year.
There is also an earningsrelated allowance available
for persons who have been
employed by a Finnish employer or have worked as a
For many, adult education offers an opportunity to realise their
dream and learn a new profession . she
says.
One of the key responsibilities of adult education is
to ensure the availability and
competence of the labour
force. EDUCATION
HELSINKI
TIMES
HELSINKI
TIMES
. ?And for its
part, adult education has responded to this demand,?
states Hakola. ?In e-mail enquiries,
these people readily tell about
being made redundant or the
daunting threat of the axe.?
For many, she believes, layoffs represent an opportunity
to realise their dream jobs.
?There is little despair, although many speak
of lay-offs or uncertainty when weighing up their
choices. ?
an online gateway to educational opportunities. . like cookery for example.
self-employed person in Finland for at least eight years.
Current trends
The demand for a skilled
workforce is currently particularly high in the health and
social care sector. Many
Find adult education
information
Ministry of Education
and Culture
www.minedu.fi
Information on basic,
extension, degree
and vocational studies
www.infopankki.fi
Find the courses
in English
www.aikuis-koulutus.fi
Adult Education
Allowance
www.koulutusrahasto.fi
on job alternation leaves consider indulging in studies offered by folk high schools,?
Hakola says.
The English School
OP P ORT U N E IMP ORT U N E
Englantilainen koulu
At our High School (lukio) you can:
t
t
t
t
t
Cambridge A Level examinations for entrance into
universities in Finland and abroad
receive expert personal advice when applying to
universities abroad
prepare for the Finnish matriculation examinations
in bilingual classes
complete the general upper secondary school
diploma (lukiodiplomi) in Music and Visual Arts
gain fluency in the English language
Applications:
t National joint application 25.2. Other ?elds to
appeal to considerable masses
of students include business
and commerce. ?The
demand has increased notably. Online enquiries concerning adult education have
doubled in recent years,. In addition, students can select between
distance learning, online
learning, multi-form learning, independent studies,
apprenticeship training or labour market training. Naturally, recreational courses in
arts, crafts, languages, sports
and computer skills are also
available.
Statistics Finland suggests that, in total, adult education providers offered
approximately 5.6 million
classroom hours of teaching
in non-degree programmes
in 2011. ?Quite a few
may have had a long career in
business without formal competence. For yet
others, the skills offered by
adult education also represent means of preparation,
and fall-backs.
Many faces of
adult education
Typically, students in adult
education combine studies with work, and therefore
adult education is organised
in a manner suitable for a variety of life situations
23
JANUARY
2013
HELSINKI
TIMES
HELSINKI
TIMES
L E H T I K U VA / K I M M O M Ä N T Y L Ä
Aalto University School of Business is one of the universities, which have been part of the tuition fee trial for foreign students.
Merits of tuition fees under scrutiny
support for the initiative to introduce tuition fees for nonEU and non-EEA students in
Finnish higher education institutions last Monday.
?Finnish taxpayers should
not pay for education, the
bene?ts of which are reaped
elsewhere,. 23
JANUARY
2013
. the champions of
the proposal . 12
12
EDUCATION
17 17
. Yet
he concedes that the results of
the trial period are hardly conclusive. ?The initiative must be
rejected. Its approval would be
contrary to the concept of an
equal and civilised society, and
even detrimental to the national economy,. ?We have to compete
with free education, and justifying the costs to customers is
dif?cult.?
In addition, several decision-makers have expressed
their disapproval of the initiative. Arto Satonen
(NCP), Jukka Kärnä (SDP),
Ari Torniainen (Centre) and
Reijo Tossavainen (PS) ?
state in a joint bulletin.
According to the initiative, the tuition fees would
be tax-deductible for the for-
Debate over the merits of tuition fees for
foreign students continues as trial period
nears its end.
A L E K S I T E I VA I N E N . ?The processes and
structures were constructed
according to estimates.. Last Monday, the Union of Students in
Finnish Universities of Ap-. The participating universities are,
however, required to provide
institutional scholarship options for foreign applicants.
?The fees have generated
more costs than revenue,. says Annika
Lapintie, the chair of the Left
Alliance parliamentary group.
Student unions
in staunch opposition
In particular, student unions
have trumpeted their antipathy to the motion. The
equivalent number for Finnish graduates was 86 per cent.
More costs than revenue
In an attempt to gauge the impacts of tuition fees on the intake and internationalisation
of universities, a four-year
trial was launched in 2010.
In 2011, tuition fees ranging from 3,500 to 11,750 euros had been introduced in
24 English-language Master?s
degree programmes. says
Hanna Sauli, a specialist in International Affairs at Aalto
University, citing costs stemming from the scholarships
and administrative tasks.
Janne Hokkanen, the director for international affairs at the Lappeenranta
University of Technology, admits that revenue from tuition
fees has been moderate, but
also refutes claims of substantial costs. H T
J A N N E L E H I KO I N E N . In 2009 the ?gure was already 75 per cent?
says Irma Garam, CIMO?s research specialist.
To cover the costs, it
would be enough if 25 per
cent of students stayed in
Finland after graduating.
Half of the students who
completed their degree in
Finland found work within a
year of their graduation. S T T
CONTRARY to common belief,
most foreign students who
complete a degree in Finnish
higher education stay in Finland after graduation and a
considerable number of them
?nd employment here, reveals a study completed by
Cimo, the organisation for
international mobility and
cooperation.
Cimo issued its statement
after one hundred and nineteen members of the Finnish
Parliament expressed their
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
Bachelor of Engineering
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
Bachelor of Business Administration
MEDIA
Bachelor of Culture and Ar ts
NURSING
Bachelor of Health Care
Application period
7.1.?12.2.2013
More Information:
WDPN À _ DGPLVVLRQV#WDPN À
eign students employed in
Finland after the completion
of studies.
Cimo does not support the
claims of the initiative.
?In 2007 two out of three
foreign students who completed their degree in Finland
stayed in the country after
graduation
It would have probably depended on the amount of the fee, though it would have put Finland down on my priority list. ?If
you provide education to outside the EU, it?s natural you
also charge tuition fees.?
The motion has also received support from Tuhatkunta, the Student Union of
the National Coalition Party. She is now finishing
a Masters in Communication and has
worked as a writer and PR professional in Helsinki.
?I came to Helsinki because I liked
the programme, it was free and Helsinki is closer to my home country. In an interview
with the Oulu-based newspaper, Kaleva, Eero Manninen,
the chair of the OYY executive board, highlights that foreign students also encourage
multiculturalism in Finnish
students.
Students unions have been concerned that tuition fees would
close the doors on foreign students.
13
13
Helsinki Times asks some international students their
views on the current proposal to introduce tuition fees
for non-Finnish, non-EU/ETA students.
Anna Bessonova came to Finland from
Russia in 2006 to do a Bachelors in
Social Sciences. Finland is not a cheap place to
live in, add to that a tuition fee and low prospects of finding
a job afterwards and maybe it would not be worth the effort
and investment.?
L E H T I K U VA / V I L J A V E H K A O J A
Better students
In an interview with Yle in
August, Ilkka Pöyhönen, the
rector of the Lappeenranta University of Technology,
estimated that the university has bene?ted from the
introduction of tuition fees.
?It seems our students are
better-motivated. And, I would love to grow up my next generation in Finland.?
Azadeh is an Iranian who moved to Finland in 2012 to study a Masters of Music, Mind, and Technology.
?I came to Finland because I could
find my favourite major to study free
of charge, also it?s a peaceful country
with a good social security. I have
decided to stay in Finland after my graduation, because
there are lots of opportunities to get a good job in my respective subject. EDUCATION
HELSINKI
TIMES
HELSINKI
TIMES
plied Sciences (SAMOK), and
the National Union of University Students in Finland
(SYL), cautioned that tuition
fees would close the doors on
foreign students.
?The trial period has
clearly been shown to be
unsuccessful,. I will stay in Finland after
my graduation, if I can find a good job.?
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Application period: 7.1.-12.2.2013.
Further information: www.diak.. As a
result, Pöyhönen believes
that all Finnish universities
should adopt tuition fees. Would I have come if I
was charged tuition fees. The number of applications dropped
slightly, but it also seems
that the share of competent
applicants increased.. He
is now studying post graduation in Aalto University and working at Expolmpo
Finland.
?I chose Finland to study as they offer a quality education without any tuition fees. The political students?
movement believes that the
reform would attract a growing number of talented nonEU and non-EEA students to
Finland.
. 23
JANUARY
2013
Nesar Himel from Bangladesh came to
Finland to study Bachelors Degree. says Tapio
Heiskari, a member of the
SYL executive board responsible for educational politics.
The Student Union of the
University of Oulu (OYY) is
similarly concerned over the
impact of tuition fees on the
internationalisation of universities. I?d rather choose an English
speaking country to study if I had to pay tuition fees. If I had been
charged with tuition fees I would definitely have stayed in my country. (For Applicants)
Admissions office, admissions@diak.?
DIACONIA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES. 23
JANUARY
2013
17 17
In Finland,
students have the chance to
choose freely among a wide
variety of courses, sometimes even from different
faculties, programmes or
universities?.
Chris Denholm, another
University of Helsinki student, adds: ?In England students are mothered through
their studies every step of the
way. No tuition fee, or a
relatively low one compared
to the rest of Europe, North
America and Asia, where students might have to pay up
to thousands of euros per semester, is only one factor.
?It is not only about the
free education. ?The student union
(HYY) arranges lots of activities and it really has a strong
in?uence, even politically?.
HYY is only the most
prominent of several student
organisations. The ?rst aims
at promoting the interests of
international students and
researchers, while the second provides a platform for
youth leadership development across the world.
Workshops, conferences, sit-sit parties, barbecues, excursions and cultural
events are only a few of the
activities offered by these
associations. Even
so, high quality research and
education, small groups of
students, equality and low
hierarchy make the Finnish
system one of the best ones?.
In addition, by paying a
90 euro annual membership
at the University of Helsinki
student union HYY (the only mandatory expense students have to pay) students
are entitled to the opiskelijakortti, the student card that
gives students discounts of
50 per cent on public transport, meals at the Uni Cafè,
and health care, as well as offers in many shops.
?Plus, students in Finland
have power and strength to
make a move,. One can even decide when to graduate.?
Yonca Ermutlu, coordinator of the Media and Global
Communication programme
at the University of Helsinki, sees things slightly differently: ?Our education system
expects student to have full
responsibility in his or her
studies and thus we do not
push them enough to complete the studies in time. continues Xilong. This means
that more international students will be accepted for a
semester . as Erasmus programme exchange students ?
or even for the entire duration
of the studies.
Usually, when they ?rst
arrive in Finland, international students do not know
anybody. Business Informatics
. Information Technology
Specialisation Studies /
Non-Degree Programmes
. ?Compared
to China, the schedule here
is not as ?xed. The
rector?s speech during last
November?s
International
Evening emphasised that the
University of Helsinki is planning to increase the intake of
foreign students. Health Business Management
. 12 February 2013:
Bachelor?s Degree, daytime studies
. In addition, a wide range of sports,
?tness, yoga and dance classes are available to university students through the Uni
Sport service.
Universities welcome students at the beginning of the
academic year with a few introduction days followed by
the opening carnival, the ?rst
big event that gathers students from every faculty. 10 programmes in Business, Health Care and Social Services, Technology
Application period 4 March - 9 April 2013:
Bachelor?s Degree, evening studies
. says Xilong
Wang, an international masters student at the Univer-
sity of Helsinki. Computer Networks
and Security
. f i
Institute of Adult Education in Helsink i
Helsingin aikuisopisto
Tö ö l ö nt u l l i n k at u 8 , 0 0 2 5 0 H e l s i n k i. Names like
Tsemppi and AIESEC are other popular within academic campuses. 23
JANUARY
2013
HELSINKI
TIMES
HELSINKI
TIMES
L E H T I K U VA / M A R J A A I R I O
The annual sledging down the Tähtitorninmäki Hill in Helsinki on Shrove Tuesday is one of the many student activities offered by student unions and organisations, which international students in Finland can enjoy.
International student life in Finland
Studying comes first, but there should also
be time for recreational activities.
YA N N I C K I L U N G A
HEL SINKI TIMES
EDUCATION,
and university
studies in particular, is one
of the most common reasons
for a young person to move to
Finland. Students and
researchers join according to
their preferences, their ?eld
of study or even according to
their ethnical background,
like in the case of CSSA-UH,
the organisation that provides all kinds of information
to Chinese students at the
University of Helsinki. 14
14
EDUCATION
17 17
. Construction and Real
Estate Management
. In Finland one is more
independent and can plan the
studies in the way that suits
the most. Information Technology
Master?s Degree
. Industrial Management
Studies begin in the autumn 2013
For more information, go to
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. We
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international students from
different educational backgrounds and with different
studying skills, we experience cultural clashes. Emergency and Critical Care Nursing
. However, sharing
?ats with other students,
having lunches at the Uni
Cafè and taking part in the
activities offered by both
student organisations and
university services like Uni
Sport give them plenty of
chances to socialise and get
to know people from other
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JANUARY
2013
Lectures,
e-learning or hands-on workshops and
workplacements. HELSINKI
TIMES
HELSINKI
TIMES
GOOD MORNING.
WAKE UP AND
EXPLORE LIFE.
Life is full of possibilities. We
offer a strong culture of multi-professionals
and an inspiring environment for students to
?nd their own path.
EDUCATION
. That?s why
studying should be much more than just
courses and degrees. Why choose when
you can get the whole package! At
Arcada University of Applied Sciences
in Helsinki we encourage you to grow
and become a modern professional,
who is not afraid of testing new ideas
and exploring the unknown. At our
friendly, international campus we see
the students as our greatest asset.
Study in English for a Bachelor?s
degree in International Business,
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studies in Swedish, please see arcada.?
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www.arcada.?. We at Arcada want to
encourage our students to turn over every
rock and explore every avenue of life. 23
JANUARY
2013
17 17
. 23
JANUARY
2013
15
15
Theory or practical skills
Amidst
the hoopla, reviews have been
glowing, and audiences in the
USA have already made it Tarantino?s most popular work
yet in terms of box of?ce.
Remaining in the Deep
South, Lee Daniel emerges,
after 2009?s stunning Precious, with an adaptation of
Pete Dexter?s The Paperboy.
Stranded on death row, John
Cusack?s fortunes are given a
boost when Nicole Kidman?s
pen pal enlists the aid of
two journalists (Matthew
McConaughey and Zack
Efron) to try and help him
slip the noose.
Arriving with a swathe of
ho-hum reviews, the ?lm has
been attracting controver-
The riff
is mighty
from The
Sword
J A M E S O . S U L L I VA N
HEL SINKI TIMES
OFFERING a modernist take on
an established classic, a fresh
look at Swan Lake can be enjoyed at the Finnish National
Opera, with performances continuing until 15 March. The ?lm
outlines the plight of failed
businessman Aarno Lamminparras, who began making
outrageous ransom demands
as the plane circled Finland
and neighbouring countries.
As the media, police, Minister for Transport and the public come to terms with what?s
happened, Lamminparras?
wife also learns of what her
husband has done.
Finally, locally produced
documentary Häätanssi follows the often harrowing life
of Hind in Morocco. S U L L I VA N
HEL SINKI TIMES
WALKING the tightrope between rip-off and inspired
homage once again, Quentin
Tarantino makes a welcome
return this week with Django
Unchained after the brilliance
of 2009?s Inglorious Basterds.
Joining a cast that includes
Tarantino stalwarts Samuel L. Alan Ereira, Andy
Wolff, Christina Höglund,
Floris-Jan van Luyn, Georgy
Molodtsov, Harry Freeland
and Jeong-One Park are but a
handful of the ?lmmakers in
attendance.
Along with the DocPoint
2013 Masterclass lecture by
Polish director Jerzy Sladkowski, the festival also presents a number of seminars
and clubs at Dubrovnik and
Adam?s.
Finally, gain a fresh perspective when the masterful vocal gymnastics of local
beatboxer Felix Zenger accompany the Russian silent
?lm Turksib.
Founded in 2002 by Finnish documentary ?lmmakers who sought to strengthen
the position of documentary ?lms, the festival has
outgrown its humble beginnings, boasting attendances
of around 30,000 in recent
years.
DocPoint . 23 JANUARY 2013
17
SAK ARI VIIK A / K ANSALLISOOPPER A
Film
J A M E S O . CULTURE
HELSINKI TIMES
17 . While
many have had their perception of the dramatic ballet
stained by the startling sce-
points out Kenneth Greve,
Artistic Director of the Finnish National Ballet.
Once again Swan Lake?s
music is provided by Pyotr
Tchaikovsky, with the modern choreographies found
at Finnish National Opera
based on Marius Petipa and
Lev Ivanov?s 1895 version.
Conductors of the orchestra during the ballet?s run are
Vello Pähn and Kari Kropsu,
and performances are recommended for children aged
six and above.
Swan Lake
Until 15 March
Tickets ?16.50-80.50
Finnish National Opera
Helsinginkatu 58
Helsinki
A neigh- Making a Point onscreen
bourly
baritone
J A M E S O . Jackson and Christoph
Waltz, slave-turned-bounty
hunter Jamie Foxx sets out under Waltz?s mentorship to rescue his wife from Leonardo Di
Caprio?s Mississippi plantation owner.
Naturally, this wouldn?t
be a Tarantino ?lm without
its share of controversy, with
critics this time pointing to
his revisionist view of slavery
in America as being particularly objectionable. S U L L I VA N
HEL SINKI TIMES
Fast forward to 2013, and the
band is doing the rounds in
promotion of album number
four. Spike Lee
has again voiced his disdain
for the perceived racist undertones in the work of the cinematic wunderkind. A number of new
Finnish student documentaries add to the local ?avour.
Opening proceedings for
2013, Virpi Suutari?s Hilton!
depicts the exclusion from
society about to be experienced by the young residents
of a rental apartment building in Eastern Helsinki.
Widening the scope internationally, the programme
includes Nick Broom?eld?s
Sarah Palin: You Betcha, following the acclaimed documentary ?lmmaker on a
OFFERING
J A M E S O . S U L L I VA N
HEL SINKI TIMES
TAVASTIA will be rattling to
its foundations when the bottom-heavy antics of American out?t The Sword come to
town on Monday 21 January.
Originally formed in 2003
in Austin, Texas, the band is
made up of John D. In my version, the prince meets Odette
as a beautiful young woman,?
SATURDAY
journey to Alaska to uncover
the truth about the controversial ?gure.
Elsewhere, The House I Live
In offers some perspective on
the American war on drugs,
and Au Pair follows the lives
of three Filipina women enduring poor working conditions as au pairs in Denmark.
Meanwhile, human rights activist Shin Dong Hyuk tells
his story of growing up on a
concentration camp in Camp
14 . Cronise
(vocals/guitar), Kyle Shutt
(guitar), Bryan Richie (bass)
and Santiago ?Jimmy. Helsinki
Documentary Film Festival
22-27 January
www.docpoint.info
DOCPOINT
Cinema
heads
South
sy with a scene where Kidman relieves herself on Efron.
While some of us may applaud
the former Disney star ?nally
getting his just desserts, the
wider cinema-going public has
found it dif?cult to embrace
this often wild and unpredictable journey down South.
Elsewhere, the local scene
offers up Kaappari, Aleksi Mäkelä?s recounting of the
true story of the hijacking of a
?ight between Oulu and Helsinki in the late ?70s. Having
lost her identity as a member of society after being
raped, she works as both a
prostitute and a traditional
wedding dancer in order to
survive and provide for her
child.
Sweet Dreams takes a look at Rwanda?s first ice cream bar and the drum-playing women who found it.. Vela
III (drums).
Characterised by sludgy
Sabbath-esque riffs, the
quartet released its debut album Age of Winters in 2006,
which was followed by Gods
of the Earth two years later.
Django Unchained
Release Date: 18 January
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Jamie Foxx,
Christoph Waltz
The Paperboy (K16)
Release Date: 18 January
Director: Lee Daniels
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman
Kaappari (K7)
Release Date: 18 January
Director: Aleksi Mäkelä
Starring: Kari Hietalahti,
Aake Kalliala
Modernist take on an established classic can be enjoyed at the National Opera until 15 March.
Swanning around with a classic
J A M E S O . Released in October last
year, the well-received Apocryphon was recorded with
producer J. S U L L I VA N
HEL SINKI TIMES
more than 100
?lms from around the world,
documentary ?lm festival
DocPoint is being held in Helsinki between Tuesday 22
and Sunday 27 January.
This year sees a typically
diverse range of ?lms on the
bill, with eight premieres of
Finnish documentary ?lms
sandwiched in between various themes. The same year
saw his London debut, and
New York the following year.
His operatic debut in the
West was at the Nice Opera in
The Queen of Spades in 1989.
Subsequent years have
seen him sing at virtually every major opera house around
the globe, and more recently
Hvorostovsky?s focus onstage
has been predominantly on
the operas of Verdi.
His performance at Finlandia Hall on Saturday is
accompanied by the Kaunas
City Symphony Orchestra,
and will feature conductor
Constantine Orbelian.
The Sword
21 January
20:00
Tickets ?21.50-22
Tavastia
Urho Kekkosen katu 4-6
Helsinki
Dmitri Hvorostovsky
19 January
20:00
Tickets 99.50-139.50
Finlandia Hall
Mannerheimintie 13 E
Helsinki
Häätanssi (K12)
Release Date: 18 January
Director: Mohamed El Aboudi
narios depicted in Black Swan,
Darren Aronofsky?s 2010 masterpiece of psychologicallydamaged cinema, this most
recent update to the ballet?s
tale promises an interesting
but less traumatic experience.
?I have never understood
why the prince should fall in
love with a bird. Robbins, marking the ?rst time that the
band has stepped in the studio without original member
Trivett Wingo.
First seen on these shores
back in 2007 at Nosturi, the
band has made a number of
visits to Finland in the interim and arrives at Tavastia at
the top of an impressive bill.
First cab off the rank will be
Swedish proponents of prominent facial hair Bombus.
Further support on Monday
comes in a cloud of smoke in
the shape of Norwegian stoner rockers Lonely Kamel.
evening, 19 January, sees renowned baritone
Dmitri Hvorostovsky performing at Finlandia Hall.
Named one of People magazine?s 50 most beautiful
people in 1991, Hvorostovsky
has truly ?ourished on the
world?s stages.
Originally from Siberia, he
studied at the Krasnoyarsk
School of Arts before winning the prestigious Cardiff
Singer of the World Competition in 1989. Total Control Zone and Lisa Fruchtman?s Sweet Dreams
takes a look at Rwanda?s ?rst
ice cream bar and the drumplaying women who found it.
The festival boasts another strong guest list this
year, with a number of international ?lmmakers on hand
to introduce their work and
to answer audience questions
+358 (0)9 7425 5574
Open: Tue?Sat 18?23
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tel. (09) 694 4207
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Sat
10.30-19.00
Sun
11.00-19.00
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SAT 12-02 . ??????????! Welcome!
Fredrikinkatu 22, 00120, Helsinki. (09) 611 217
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Wed-Sat
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Sun
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tel. KITCHEN 12-23
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tel. PUBS . 2LZR\ZRH[\ /LSZPURP ;
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Helsinki
Tel. ; . +358 9 635 732
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Transforming Finnish
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We are open
Mon-Fri 11:00-23:00
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????. 4PRVURH[\ /LSZPURP
t XXX SBýB å
But often
it is not easy to distinguish
the ?real deal. This, according
to him, is ready-to-go street
food, as opposed served on
a plate. Karavani
describes their kitchen as a
?fusion fast-food kitchen?.
Falafel is originally a street
food from the Middle East, but
in Europe and North America falafel has become popular also among vegetarians
. Currently, three out of
four people in Finland visit
restaurants at least every
second week, according to
ruokatieto.?.
The survey on the restaurants. +358 20 7424 268 | www.tonysdeli.?
The half
of food is
wasted globally
Almost the half of the
world?s food is wasted due
to the eagerness of shoppers to buy immaculatelooking food, says a new
report from the UK-based
Institution of Mechanical
Engineers (IMechE). no meat, but plenty of protein, complex carbohydrates,
and ?ber. 23 JANUARY 2013
19
BANAFSHEH R ANJI
Falafel pita is one of the most popular ones of Fafa?s delicious and healthy fast foods.
Fafa?s: from the Middle
East to chilly Helsinki
Ethnic fast-food
cooked and served
in an authentic way.
E V G E N I E B O G DA N O V
HEL SINKI TIMES
BANAFSHEH R ANJI
AS WITH every European capital, Helsinki has its share
ethnic food outlets. Then he examined the habits of the
customers, because, in his
words, before Fafa?s ?Nobody
here even served pita the
right way?. For
example, dining out for
lunch soared up from 54%
to 67% during the last
year, while dining out for
dinner is still less popular.
The survey also indicates
that the main reason of
choosing a place for lunch
is its suitable location and
familiarity. As
a vindication of his words,
Karavani . Valio found themselves at the wrong end of a
70 million euro ruling after
the competition authority
found they had been selling
milk under market prices
in effort to beat their Danish-owned competitors Arla Ingman.
Pia Kontunen, the communication chief at Valio, as said that the whole
range of their milk products will see price changes, but she could not yet
say how much the price
of milk on supermarket
shelves will change.
Following the success in Punavuori, Fafa?s has now opened its
second restaurant in Kallio.
A
CLASSIC
SINCE
1932
Et. ensuring the ingredients are as fresh as possible. a
falafel joint which has just
opened its second Helsinki
diner.
Alongside with city centre?s popular restaurant in
Iso Roobertinkatu, Karavani just has expanded his
growing empire with another
place in Kallio.
Before restaurant business, Karavani tried many
occupations and but one
thing consistently remained
at the back of his mind ?why
not open a good fast-food
restaurant?. ?They destroyed the
idea of the pita,. ?I
think that in Helsinki things
are changing, let?s say, because of us. friendly as ever . Hesperiankatu 22 tel. as the deep-fried balls are
primarily made from ground
chickpeas, fava beans, or both
. Meanwhile
the choice of dinner location is usually characterised by quality, reputation
and relevance.
Most Finns tend to
choose a slightly upmarket restaurant. We stand out by maintaining the quality and developing new dishes,. complains
Karavani. As the owner, Karavani
is not afraid to put in hours in
the kitchen either.
Fafa?s proudly proclaim
themselves as the best place
to taste the falafel around the
town. However, popularity of hamburger and
pizza restaurants is on the
decline.
Four cans of soft drinks per
day may increase the possibility of depression up to
30%, according to the survey carried out among 50to 71-year-old Americans.
The research also indicates
that regular consumption
of unsweetened coffee may
buck the trend by decreasing depression by 10%.
Honglei Chen, one of
the researchers, pointed out that the biological
mechanism of this process is slightly unclear for
now, however poor health
and depression are often
attributed to soft drinks
consumption.
However, the British
Soft Drinks Association
questioned the results and
asked further research be
completed.
Court case
results in milk
price hike
Finnish dairy company Valio has announced a 30% increase in wholesale milk
prices from next month as
a result of their court case
in relation to competition
rules. The survey also suggests the solutions to tackle the problem:
proper energy, land and
water usage. In developed countries shop purchasers
themselves toss 30-50% of
all bought food.
This trend is paralleling
with rapidly growing global population in developing
countries: ?An extra three
billion mouths to feed by
the end of the century,?
claim IMechE. If someone wants
to open a kebab place, he has
to be a little bit more creative.?
There are indeed now
quite a few kebab places
around Helsinki, but Fafa?s
seems to be one of the most
popular . And in true Middle Eastern-style the meal
can be enjoyed with mint-tea
or Turkish coffee. I wanted to show people what ?real?
ethnic food is.?
Beside its delicious trademark falafel, Fafa?s offers
other quality fast food, such
as kebab, salads and a wide
variety of accompaniments
for the pita. Nevertheless, the
history of Falafel is vague, and
many different countries in
the region consider it as their
own iconic food.
Ingredients are
as fresh as possible
Karavani confesses that in
the beginning there were
many obstacles and intially
he spent some months just
training to prepare falafels
the right way. ?Ours is not actually the
?rst falafel place, but it is the
only place doing it the right
way. strikes up a conversation with his customers,
?Proper fast-food is not rocket science. However the quality of
Fafa?s food means the competition has to ?up their game?. +358 9 6128 5200
mon-thu 11-24, fri 11-01, sat 13-01, sun 13-23
www.royalravintolat.com
Until March 2nd
Mon?Thu 10.30?22, Fri 10.30?24, Sat 15?24
t. Students?
habits haven?t changed
much, they still prefer
university cafes and coffee-shops. trends in 2012
explicitly indicates the
tendency to eat out. On a
global level, the amount
of disposed edible food in
retail chains has already
surpassed 1.6 million tons
daily. However, the
main recommendation is
to save 60-100% food, just
by eradicating wasteful
practice and consumption.
Compiled by Evgenie
Bogdanov and Anna-Maria
Tukiainen. EAT & DRINK
HELSINKI TIMES
17 . The initial idea
was to bring the best foods
from different regions. from what
might be considered just another greasy-spoon, at least
in the opinion of Doron Karavani, the owner Fafa?s . Devotion to good
quality, fresh food, for example can be found in the fact
that Fafa?s has its own pita
factory . Simple really!
Fafa?s
Vilhonvuorenkatu 10
Open
Mon-Thurs11-21, Sat 12-21
Iso Roobertinkatu 2
Open
Mon-Thurs 11-22
Fri 11-04, Sat 12-04
info@fafas.fi
More Finns
out to lunch
Harsh words
for soft drinks
Fast-food restaurants have
admittedly found their
niche in Finnish everyday
life. Simple like this,?
whereupon the client is
shown the fresh-cooked pita,
?fresh ingredients, no frozen
meal.. ?I
wanted to create a place I
would like to go to. Karavani
says. which can be seen
from the constant coming
and going of customers at
the new Kallio venture