Humanitarian immigration does not provide a solution to Finland's demographic dependency ratio

Finnish people are no longer having enough children for the population to renew itself. Therefore, humanitarian immigration has been justified by the demographic dependency ratio.

This idea works if the incoming population, along with their descendants, performs equally well in the labor market as the native population. However,  individuals coming from developing countries—often illiterate and at least less educated than Finns—are unable to do so.

However, the situation could—at least in principle—be saved by their descendants, who attend the same schools as the native children. Additionally, they are fluent in Finnish, unlike their parents.

Unfortunately, recent data indicates that a large portion of immigrant-background students in Finland are considered weak performers according to the PISA definition. In mathematics, as many as 58 percent of first-generation immigrant-background students and 43 percent of second-generation students are weak performers. Among native students, the percentage of weak mathematics performers was 22 percent.

The literacy rates do not look any better either. A staggering 61 percent of first-generation immigrant-background students and 39 percent of second-generation students have poor literacy skills. This means that, according to OECD definitions, they do not possess sufficient knowledge and skills to participate fully in societal functions, such as further education and the labor market.

Finland's Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz (Swedish People´s Party) considers these results concerning. There is reason for concern, as a varying number of people from developing countries have been accepted annually since 1990.

From the perspective of the dependency ratio, as mentioned above, it is also problematic that the employment rate of individuals with foreign backgrounds is about 10–15 percentage points lower, and the unemployment rate is approximately 5–10 percentage points higher than that of native Finns. And these figures include not only humanitarian immigrants but also foreign workers, among whom a significantly larger proportion is likely engaged in the labor market than among humanitarian immigrants.

Based on the above, it appears that humanitarian immigration is not a solution to the demographic dependency ratio in Finnish society. Nor can it be assumed that they will be able to maintain Finland's standard of living at the same level as it has been in recent decades.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Sweden is Soon Set to Surpass the One Million Mark for Illiterate People
The Stabber Killed Three People in an Extremely Multicultural City
Sweden already in trouble - Finland following

Hassan Nasrallah Has Been Killed, but Lebanon Is Unlikely to Become the Switzerland of the Middle East Again

Israel announced yesterday that it had killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Lebanon. Thus, once again, evil has been punished.

Unfortunately, it seems that this does not mean the complete destruction of Hezbollah, although it may lead to confusion and internal power struggles within the group for some time. And in this case, perhaps for a long time, since the armed forces of the Jewish state have already eliminated a large portion of Hezbollah's leadership.

It is clear that all of this will have repercussions throughout Lebanon. And certainly not in a positive way, at least if the country’s history continues on its current trajectory.

Like Israel, Lebanon has a long history, starting with the Phoenician seafaring people, followed by occupations by various states, and eventually gaining independence after World War II. At first, things looked promising, as the new nation’s economy grew rapidly after the war, thanks to the booming oil trade and financial services in Arab countries.

Even in the 1960s, Beirut and its surroundings became wealthy due to tourism and banking, and Lebanon became known as the "Switzerland of the Middle East" while Beirut was dubbed the "Paris of the Middle East." But then, at the very end of the decade, a fateful and catastrophic mistake occurred. In November, Lebanon's army commander Emile Boustany and the chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Yasser Arafat, agreed that the Palestinians could establish camps in Lebanon.

From that point onward, the country took a downward spiral, culminating in a full-scale civil war in the spring of 1975. On one side were the Christian Phalangists, and on the other were the recently displaced Palestinians – who had been expelled from Jordan not long before.

The fighting spread across the entire country, with Palestinian forces joining the Lebanese leftist Muslims. Eventually, in June 1976, Syrian troops were called into the country, which brought peace to Beirut. However, the fighting continued in southern Lebanon, where Palestinians launched rockets into northern Israel, provoking the Israelis to launch military attacks in 1978 and again four years later, with support from Lebanon’s Christian forces.

As a result of all this, Lebanon’s own army eventually collapsed, and since then, the country has been in a state of disarray, with Syria meddling in its affairs. At the same time, Lebanon has also grown closer to Iran, from which Hezbollah—remotely controlled by Tehran—has developed into a significant and popular organization over the past decade, ensuring the persistence of chaos and continuous provocations against Israel.

The driving force behind all this has been the growing Muslim population, which has overtaken that of the Christians. Today, 32% of the country’s inhabitants are Christians, 32% are Sunni Muslims, 31% are Shia Muslims, 5% belong to other Islamic sects, and the rest adhere to various other religions. A return to being the Switzerland of the Middle East is not on the horizon.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Hezbollah Uses Human Shields While the Green-Left Looks Away
How Will Israel Benefit on the Explosions of Hezbollah's Communication Devices?
A new Government for Israel, but why doesn´t it solve anything?

Finnish Society Adopts Medieval Characteristics

A few days ago, I wrote about the change that is leading to the European Green parties' withering into insignificant political forces. This doesn't seem to be understood, at least among the Finnish Greens.

One could draw this conclusion, at least from the fact that some within the Greens have suggested that the party adopt a positive stance on polygamy and promote the legal recognition of more than one spouse. In practice, this would primarily mean the recognition of polygamous Islamic marriages as valid in Finnish society.

In this way, the Greens would bring Finnish culture a step closer to the medieval demands of Islam. Similarly, society is being steered in this direction by the increasing practice of women-only swimming sessions and by allowing unofficially the wearing of swimsuits in the sauna at public swimming pools. The latter is problematic because sweat gets trapped in the swimsuit during the sauna and later dissolves into the swimming water, fostering the growth of various bacteria, including pathogens.

The national broadcasting company has also taken it upon itself to reshape society according to the demands of immigrants. It has decided to begin broadcasting in Arabic and Somali. By doing so, the company could further reduce the already limited motivation of these immigrants to learn the Finnish language.

The driving forces behind all these changes have been, in particular, Green and left-wing politicians, who have received support especially from the value-liberal politicians of the National Coalition Party and the Swedish People's Party of Finland. Fortunately, the political influence of the Greens is declining, as well as that of the rest of the left.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Rise, Fall, and Future of the European Green Parties
The attractiveness of Finland to welfare-seeking economic migrants reduces
Information for Asylum Seekers in Finland

NATO's Northern Europe Headquarters to be Established in Mikkeli, Finland's Former Military Command City

According to recent information, NATO's Northern Europe Command will be established in Mikkeli, Finland. The decision is based on an overall assessment of what is the best location for Finland's defense. No other reasons are involved.

At the same time, Finland sent, according to Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen (National Coalition Party), "a message to Russia that we are a full-fledged member of NATO, and NATO plays a very strong role in Finland's defense." He further stated that "this is not in any way a hostile action or a confrontation, but purely based on Finland's defense arrangements."

* * *

Mikkeli is an important city for Finland with about 50,000 inhabitants. This is because it served as the headquarters of the Finnish Defense Forces during the Winter War, the Continuation War, and the Lapland War. 

In the first of these, the Finnish army repelled the Soviet Union's attack, which was politically supported by Germany, on its own without any allies. Although Britain and France made strong promises of support, it ultimately amounted to little more than a few material deliveries.

In the Continuation War, too, the Soviet Union initiated military actions five days before Finland launched its own offensive as part of Germany's Operation Barbarossa, quickly capturing large areas of East Karelia. In 1944, the Red Army launched a major offensive, which after initial success was halted on the Soviet side of the pre-war border. Peace was subsequently made at the current borders.

Before the end of the World War II, Finland still fought a third war, during which it expelled the German troops stationed in northern Finland. In this war, the Germans retaliated against the Finns by burning practically all homes of the inhabitants in Lapland. As a result, the people of northern Finland still hated the Germans in the 1970s, until the income brought by tourism helped the resentment subside.

After these historical memories, I express the hope that Mikkeli will never again have to lead a war between Finland and Russia, and that NATO's mere presence in Finland will be enough to deter any potential imperialist ambitions of Vladimir Putin and his successors.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland Must Avoid Ukraine’s Fate
Rediscovered Relics: The Story Behind Finland's WWII Weapon Caches
Finns Feel Sympathy for Ukrainians Because They Share a Similar Experience

The Rise, Fall, and Future of the European Green Parties

During the 1980s, European media headlines were dominated not only by the fear of nuclear war but also by the nuclear power plant accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, biodiversity loss, and pollution, which was blamed for causing widespread forest dieback in Poland, Germany, and Finland. In other words, the atmosphere of doomsday was similar to what we experience today with the fear of global warming.

Especially young people were anxious – just as they are today – which provided an opportunity for a new kind of political movement. This gave rise to the political emergence of green movements in Germany, Finland and various other countries, leading to significant support in many nations, where environmental advocates even entered national governments.

However, over time, the consequences of nuclear accidents were found to be far less severe than feared four decades ago, and forests continued to grow. At the same time, European industries reduced their emissions to a fraction of what they had been, and agriculture and forestry became more environmentally friendly.

As a result, the driving force behind the popularity of green movements began to fade, leading them to seek new agendas. These were primarily found in value-liberal thinking, whose conclusions were incorporated into green party programs across Europe. This appeared to make the movements a permanent part of the European political power structure.

Eventually, the year 2015 arrived, along with the large migration wave from developing countries. Green movements supported this, which led to a collapse in less than a decade, as the newcomers proved poorly adaptable to European societies.

Thus, the previously extremely powerful German Green Party practically collapsed this fall in the state elections in eastern Germany. Its support in Thuringia was only 1.1% of the votes. In Saxony, the party's share was even smaller, at 1.0%, and in Brandenburg, it was a dismal 0.8%.

In Finland, the Green Party, which at its peak attracted about one-sixth of Finns, fell out of government after the poorly performing 2023 parliamentary elections, and its support has not recovered from rock-bottom levels. It is reasonable to assume that its support would be even lower without the prominent media coverage of the supposed consequences of climate change.

It remains to be seen whether Europe's green movements will have a return to prominence in the future. In my view, this is not possible without a significant reform, in which the parties would abandon at least the most irrational of their value-liberal theses, such as boundless empathy for poorly integrating immigrants or their support for eco-fascist organizations like Extinction Rebellion.

In this regard, I noted as a positive development that at least one Finnish Green politician has condemned the recent attack by the aforementioned eco-fascist organization against Finnish democracy. However, this doesn't allow them to stand out, as also all other Finnish political movements – even the far left – acted similarly. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Green Movement of Finland is Lost
The Role of Ukraine Aid in the Elections of Thuringia and Saxony, Germany
Competence of the political left

Criminal Attack Against Finnish Democracy

This morning, the Finnish Extinction Rebellion, in collaboration with the Swedish group Återställ Våtmarker, defaced the Finnish Parliament House to gain visibility for their political views. That is why I won’t discuss their goals in this writing but will briefly present my own opinion on their actions.

Defacing the Parliament House was a direct attack on Finnish democracy, which is based on decisions made by representatives elected by the people. In making these decisions, all political perspectives are represented according to the weight they hold among the Finnish population.

However, this is not acceptable to the Extinction Rebellion activists and the Swedes involved in the defacement, as they demand for themselves a dictatorial right to decide on the nation’s common affairs. In other words, through their actions, they appear to be criminal usurpers of power who should receive the maximum legal punishment for their deeds and be held financially responsible for the costs - estimated to exceed 10 000 euros - incurred.

In this context, the Kone Foundation, established by the Finnish elevator manufacturer Kone Corporation, finds itself in a peculiar situation. It has publicly funded the activities of Extinction Rebellion, which, at least in the public's mind, makes it partially responsible for what happened. And it doesn't help that you say the funding you approved hasn't been earmarked for defacing the Parliament House.

In this situation, I expect the foundation to take responsibility. That is, to publicly announce the immediate cessation of its funding for the Finnish Extinction Rebellion, to refuse any involvement in paying for the damages caused by the activists, and to unequivocally condemn their actions.

Although the Kone Corporation is not directly responsible for the actions of its foundation, it would be good if the company also condemned the incident and, in one way or another, reprimanded its foundation for its reckless use of funds. This, of course, only if the company supports representative democracy and does not feel sympathy toward criminals—and even then, only if they care about their international reputation.

Finally, I do not believe that the action taken today will increase the acceptability of the activists' goals among ordinary people. On the contrary, it will probably - and hopefully - turn against them.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Relationship Between the Professor and Teemu Selänne
Challenges of democracy: Reflections on political violence and rhetoric in Finnish politics
Is the Finnish left-wing radicalizing?

Sweden is Soon Set to Surpass the One Million Mark for Illiterate People

Sweden has been known for its cultural and intellectual expertise, and especially for its welfare state, where everyone is taken care of and given excellent tools for life.

However, according to the Fria Tider the latest survey by Statistics Sweden, approximately 780,000 adults in Sweden are now illiterate. The reason is not primarily a flawed school system, but rather the rapid demographic shift caused by humanitarian immigration.

The solution to the problem is quintessentially Swedish, characterized by treating all people equally. As a result, Swedish children—whether they belong to the native population and are fluent readers, or immigrants who struggle to recognize letters—will now sit in primary school for a full ten years.

The change will take effect in the fall of 2028, by which time the number of illiterate people is expected to approach one million. Humanitarian immigration, however, is not intended to be reduced, but rather to continue as usual.

It remains to be seen how the literacy levels of both Swedes and "Swedes" will develop in the future, and at what point this trend will start to be reflected not only in crime statistics but also in the country's economy.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Sweden's Gang Crime Recruits Children – Is It Time for the EU to Reevaluate Asylum Policies?
Sweden's Rapid Demographic Shift Causes Challenges
Sweden already in trouble - Finland following

Hezbollah Uses Human Shields While the Green-Left Looks Away

According to World At War, a source active on social media, the terrorist organization Hezbollah has asked civilians not to leave the area where Israel has announced it will attack - and that attach occurred today. This is nothing new or surprising, as another terrorist organization, Hamas, operating in Gaza, has similarly used civilians as human shields.

Additionally, Hezbollah’s leaders clearly intend to exploit the civilians who may die or be injured in a potential Israeli strike for their propaganda war, claiming it was a terrorist attack. At the same time, following Hamas’s example, they fail to mention that they are actively contributing to the high number of civilian casualties.

In other words, these terrorist organizations are committing war crimes by sacrificing their own citizens. Unfortunately, this strategy works as long as people in Western countries fail to understand the irresponsible sacrifice of their populations by these two terrorist organizations for the sake of propaganda victories.

The problem lies in the fact that the Western political green-left movement - for reasons I personally cannot comprehend - remains locked in a Cold War mindset (example and another), where people with a socialist worldview consistently supported the side backed by the Soviet Union in international conflicts. The Soviet Union may no longer exist, but the memory of its strong support for Muslims in their efforts to destroy Israel remains alive.

This persists despite the fact that the Islamic world represents almost everything the political green-left claims to support: equality between genders or religions, freedom of expression, or the avoidance of corporal punishments—none of which exist in the Islamic world, as is well known by everyone in the Western world.

It remains to be seen how the green-left will once again protest when Israelis defend their existence by attacking the terrorists based in Lebanon, despite the human shields they use. And how they will demand punishment for Israel over the casualties that would not have occurred without Hezbollah's active involvement.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
How Will Israel Benefit on the Explosions of Hezbollah's Communication Devices?
What Does the Failure of Hezbollah's Attack Tell Us?
The first casualty of war is the truth - but whose truth?

EU Decision-Makers Did the Bear a Disservice

In Finland, there are four so-called large carnivores. They are the bear, wolf, lynx, and wolverine.

Of these, only the bear and wolf can pose a danger to humans. Or more precisely, only the bear, since the last time a Finnish wolf killed a human was in 1882.

Bears, on the other hand, occasionally attack people. A particularly dangerous time is spring, when these rulers of the forest have cubs. Mother bears will attack, especially if, for some reason—such as during a jog—a person happens to come between them.

The risk exists in remote forest areas, of course, but a bear attack is especially likely when the predator roams densely populated areas, such as towns and cities.

That’s why it’s concerning that recently, bears have been wandering into cities more frequently. According to Finnish large carnivore researcher Ilpo Kojola, this is because bear hunting has practically come to a complete halt in recent years.

This has happened because Finland’s Supreme Court ruled that population control hunting is illegal in Finland. This, in turn, stems from the European Union's Habitats Directive, which requires member states to prohibit the deliberate capture or killing of individuals from certain species in the wild.

Because of this, Finns can currently do nothing but admire urban bears and, at the same time, fear the moment when a bear finally kills—whether to defend its cubs or for some other reason—a human, or perhaps more. And after that, wait anxiously to see what kind of hatred toward predators will take hold among Finns.

If and when that happens, the only certainty is that many bears will be poached. And that likely serves neither the interests of the EU's directive makers nor the bears themselves.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
During the Eurovision song spectacle, the incompetence of EU officials was revealed
Wolfs affect nature conservation
A popular hobby risks ecological balance, private property and human health in Finland

Ice Sheet Losses in Antarctica and Greenland

CNN reported that the rapid ice loss of the Thwaites Glacier is set to speed up this century. The retreat of this glacier has accelerated considerably over the past 30 years. Even worse, according to the article, scientists project that Thwaites and the Antarctic Ice Sheet could collapse within 200 years, which would have devastating consequences.

Such a development would, of course, be extremely concerning, and that’s why I decided to look into how temperatures in Antarctica have evolved. For that, I searched NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies website for all available time series of Antarctic temperatures that began before the 1960s.

I’ve copied the graphs I found below, starting with Vostok and Amundsen-Scott, located in the central part of the continent, followed by the stations on the continent’s edge, beginning from the boundary of the eastern and western hemispheres and moving westward (like the sun).

My dear reader can draw their own conclusions from the series of images I have copied above. As for me, I do not plan on losing sleep over the CNN article that inspired this writing.

* * *

Speaking of glaciers: it occurred to me that I had read a study by Rebecca Adam McPherson and colleagues, who work in Germany, suggesting that the melting of Greenland’s 79 North glacier, which flows into the ocean, has slowed somewhat in recent years.

While investigating this phenomenon, the researchers found that the water temperatures beneath the glacier’s ice shelf cooled between 2018 and 2021. According to the researchers, this was due to a slowdown in the North Atlantic circulation and the cooling of Atlantic intermediate waters.

This, in turn, was the result of a phenomenon observed in Europe’s atmosphere, where cold Arctic air flowed south through the Fram Strait. This phenomenon is by no means new to science; it has caused other ocean cooling events over the past half-century and will continue to be a key factor in the development of glaciers in northeastern Greenland.

As I read the study, it naturally occurred to me whether this same phenomenon could also explain why Arctic sea ice has not melted since 2013. If so, the melting of sea ice should resume sooner rather than later.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Russia Pays the Price for Its Foolishness
Reevaluating Arctic Sea Ice Melt: A Closer Look at Trends and Predictions
Climate Model Predictions and the Reality of Arctic Sea Ice

Russia Pays the Price for Its Foolishness

Vladimir Putin's Russia has intended to make the Northern Sea Route, which runs along the northern coast of Asia and through Russian-controlled waters, a major shipping lane. Behind this plan is not only the economic benefit for Russia but also the assumption that the shrinking of Arctic sea ice would make the route more navigable.

However, the volume of this shipping traffic is expected to fall to almost half of what was planned, leading Russia's state nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom, to sharply lower its forecast for the amount of cargo traffic on the Northern Sea Route by 2031.

This follows Putin's directive that at least 80 million tons of cargo should pass through the route this year and 200 million tons by 2031. In reality, the volume of cargo traffic is expected to reach only about half of the planned figures.

Another reason is that the Arctic sea ice has not melted as predicted since 2013, when it was at its lowest extent in recorded history. As a result, regular traffic is only feasible in the western part of the Northern Sea Route, because the ice conditions in the eastern part, east of the Gulf of Ob, are more difficult and require continuous support from heavy icebreakers.

It may well be that Russia's next step to increase the use of the Northern Sea Route will be to expand its icebreaker fleet. However, this requires both time and money, the latter of which is being spent every single day in Ukraine, where Russia's army invaded due to President Putin's megalomania.

It is therefore quite possible that the Northern Sea Route will not become a major shipping artery for a long time, and Russia will not be able to boost its economy through it. This proves the old saying that stupidity has a price. Putin´s stupidity.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Reevaluating Arctic Sea Ice Melt: A Closer Look at Trends and Predictions
Medieval trade ranged from North America to Ukraine
A new route for the Ukrainian crops

A Fair Peace Proposal for Gaza

Israel made a proposal to end the attack carried out by Palestinians on October 7. According to the proposal, Israel would agree to withdraw from Gaza and allow international mediators to govern Gaza under the following conditions.

All hostages—both living and deceased—would be returned to Israel at once. At the same time, Palestinian prisoners held in the prisons of the Jewish state would be released.

Hamas leaders would relocate to third countries, and multinational forces would oversee the implementation of the agreement and disarm Gaza.

This proposal was presented last week in a meeting with U.S. officials from the White House and the State Department, so it is not yet known how the Palestinians would respond to it. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether they still wish to continue destroying the lives of the people in Gaza or if they will agree to peace.

From my perspective, I see nothing in the proposal that isn't in line with common sense, although of course it would be better if Hamas's terrorist leaders ended up imprisoned for life. However, it is naturally better to achieve a fragile peace than to continue a war that forever claims human lives.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Which one should be excluded from the Olympics?
According to the Israeli army, Hamas cannot be defeated
Two out of three Palestinians support October 7 attack

How Will Israel Benefit on the Explosions of Hezbollah's Communication Devices?

The Islamist Hezbollah operating in Lebanon has been the target of an interesting attack. First, their beepers were blown up, and today it was the turn of their walkie-talkies.

Both times, the organization lost a small number of people killed, but many more were more or less injured. However, the biggest impact is likely to be that from now on, Hezbollah members will probably fear handling any kind of electronic devices - and this will certainly weaken their ability to plan and especially carry out their operations against Israel.

It remains to be seen how Israel will take advantage of the advantage it has gained. Will it launch a military attack on southern Lebanon - as they seem to plan - or do they have some other operation in mind? In my view, it is clear that Israel’s ultimate goal - assuming it is behind the explosions - is to calm northern Israel from Hezbollah’s rocket attacks.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
What Does the Failure of Hezbollah's Attack Tell Us?
According to the Israeli army, Hamas cannot be defeated
The first casualty of war is the truth - but whose truth?

The attractiveness of Finland to welfare-seeking economic migrants reduces

A couple of days ago, I mentioned that during this year, a total of 1 897 Bangladeshis, 1 445 Pakistanis, 1 120 Nigerians, 1 048 Turks, and 923 Iranians had submitted their first residence permit application to the Finnish Immigration Service.

These numbers are small compared to the figures from nearly ten years ago. In 2015, for instance, more than 20 000 Iraqis applied for international protection in Finland, and over 5 000 Afghans sought the same.

However, this does not mean that large numbers of people from developing countries are no longer trying to reach the EU. According to Verkkouutiset, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) recorded a total of 513 000 asylum applications in the first half of this year alone, so the number of migrants in the Union is expected to exceed one million this year — just as it did last year.

This might indicate that the international "grapevine" has worked effectively, and asylum seekers are aware of the Finnish government's actions to more strictly target humanitarian immigration to those in genuine need.

Therefore, it is absolutely crucial that Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s (National Coalition Party) government continues to effectively communicate and broadly publicize its immigration policy program. At the time of writing, two key sections of this program are in preparation and currently under review.

The first concerns family reunification, which is being amended to "tighten the requirements for family reunification by implementing the changes made possible by the family reunification directive". The second section relates to detention and entry bans, stating that "the regulations on detention will be tightened, the regulations concerning entry bans will be reformed, and it will be made possible to impose entry bans on individuals residing outside of Finland".

Just as important as making these changes is communicating them to people outside of Finland. This is the only way to minimize the motivation of  migrants looking for high social services to head to this cold northern country.

It is also essential to highlight that the government program still includes further restrictions related to humanitarian asylum, such as limiting reception services and tightening the requirements for obtaining permanent residence. Additionally, it has already been decided that, starting in October, a longer residence period in Finland will be required to apply for Finnish citizenship.

However, it remains to be seen how, for example, the tightening of Germany's immigration policy will affect the number of migrants from developing countries coming to Finland. Will those from developing countries in search of a provider turn their eyes to Finland under the North Star, or will they head elsewhere? And if so, where?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Information for Asylum Seekers in Finland
Afghans Had to Go
Sweden's Gang Crime Recruits Children – Is It Time for the EU to Reevaluate Asylum Policies?

Three Islamists Arrested in Finland on Suspicion of Belonging to a Terrorist Group

Finland's National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has arrested three foreign men suspected of involvement in the activities of the Islamic terrorist organization ISIS. Two of the suspects were born in the 1980s and one in the 1990s.

The police are not commenting on the possible crimes committed by the men, but under Finnish law, merely participating in the activities of a terrorist group can lead to a conviction. At this stage, however, nothing suggests that there has been a terrorism threat directed at Finland.

If the men are found guilty of involvement in a terrorist group, they will be sentenced to a minimum of four months and a maximum of eight years in prison.

So far, Finland has only had one Islamist terrorist attack. It occurred in Turku in 2017 when Abderrahman Bouanane, a Moroccan who came to Finland as an asylum seeker, randomly stabbed people, killing two of them.

For this act, Bouanane was sentenced to life imprisonment, from which the president can pardon him if desired—usually no earlier than after 12 years of imprisonment. It remains to be seen whether Finland’s first Muslim terrorist will ever be released.

In this regard, it is interesting that - relative to the size of Finland’s Muslim population - the country sent the highest number of terrorists to ISIS's caliphate in Syria and Iraq during the last decade. However, none of them have yet been convicted for their atrocities there. Additionally, the police have not suggested that the arrest of the current suspects is in any way related to ISIS’s caliphate.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Stabber Killed Three People in an Extremely Multicultural City
Cancellation of Taylor Swift's Concert in Austria Was a Success for the Terrorists
Two out of three Palestinians support October 7 attack

Immigration-Specific Violent Crime Increases as Humanitarian Immigration Continues

Finland's new National Police Commissioner, Ilkka Koskimäki, told MTV3 that violent crime in Finland has changed. According to him, "the entire landscape of violent crime in Finland is in a state of transition and is changing. Traditionally, the typical homicide from decades ago was a dispute between alcoholics, but those cases have almost disappeared."

Instead – according to him – "we are now seeing more cases of polysubstance abuse, drugs in significant quantities, disputes among criminals, and new phenomena such as street gangs and honor-related violence. The nature of crime is somehow in transition."

The Police Commissioner also mentioned that "the highest number of serious violent crimes, meaning homicides and attempted homicides, occur... in the Tampere and Vantaa areas." However, he did not know why these particular cities were affected, the first being the center of the second-largest urban area in Finland, and the second essentially a suburban town of Helsinki.

* * *

It remains to be seen how violent crime and its distribution among Finnish cities will evolve in the coming years. However, it is clear that one of the key factors in this matter is the number of poorly integrated humanitarian immigrants in Finnish society.

After all, the growing phenomena mentioned by the Police Commissioner, such as street gang and honor-related violence, are almost exclusively associated with this group. Also, the shift in the drug situation is not unrelated to changes in the Finnish population, as the smuggling and trade of illegal substances have long been dominated by immigrants.

Thus, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop in Finland. In any case, people continue to arrive from countries where integration into Western culture is difficult. During the current year alone, the Finnish Immigration Service has thus far received first residence permit applications from, among others, 1 897 Bangladeshis, 1 445 Pakistanis, 1 120 Nigerians, 1 048 Turks, and 923 Iranians. Additionally, there are far more applications for renewals.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The UK Prime Minister Took a One-Sided Stance on the Country's Protests
The root causes of racist violence
Immigration issue

The Green Movement of Finland is Lost

As my esteemed reader knows, Finland currently has a right-wing government that came to power a little over a year ago. Its task is to address the economic distress created by the previous center-left government, which scattered taxpayers' money with abandon. While the results are still modest, decisions have been made, and over time they promise to balance the public budget and kickstart economic growth, which has stagnated for a decade and a half.

In this regard, the situation is interesting because the Finnish green-left has been unable to do anything but criticize the government's decisions, without offering any alternatives. The most intriguing case is that of the Green Party, which has over the years drifted to the far left.

Its chairwoman, Sofia Virta, has repeatedly stated that her practically sole goal is to bring down the government. In the same breath, she has addressed issues related to humanitarian immigration, such as street violence, claiming that "the Finns Party doesn’t want to solve these problems. Their support is based on them."

This is strange, because it is precisely the Finns Party that has wanted to limit humanitarian immigration to a level where newcomers can be integrated into Finnish society. They have also criticized the provision of unconditional – and thus demotivating – social benefits to spontaneous immigrants.

Additionally, Virta has claimed that "the prime minister probably doesn’t lose a second of sleep worrying about how to get health centers and public services to function." This is, of course, a blatant lie, as it was the previous government—of which the Greens were a part—that carried out a healthcare reform that led to the collapse of the system. The current government has been particularly focused on correcting the mistakes made earlier.

Each individual can draw their own conclusions about the reasons behind the Green Party chairwoman's rhetoric. Personally, I suspect it is a panicked, primal reaction to the fact that the Greens’ support, which at its peak had one in six Finns behind it, has now dropped to half of that.

Sofia Virta will have no political future if this trend doesn’t reverse during her tenure. And, of course, it’s impossible to imagine that happening with the methods she’s currently employing. This is because, in Finland, smearing political opponents has never been valued; instead, constructive proposals and presenting alternatives are appreciated.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Will Orpo's Government Restore Finland to Sustainable Economic Growth?
Healthcare Services for Undocumented Immigrants are a Pull Factor for Harmful Immigration
Putin's useful idiots in Finland

New aid package keeps Finland as one of Ukraine's biggest supporters

Finland is located next to Russia and is therefore one of the countries that might become a target of Vladimir Putin's aggression if he achieves even a partial victory in Ukraine.

For this reason, the Finns decided to join the Western defense alliance, NATO, immediately after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The nation was quite unanimous in this decision, even though before the invasion, the so-called "NATO option" had not been particularly popular among the public.

The Finns’ perspective changed because Russia's attack on Ukraine showed that the previous policy of appeasement was insufficient to prevent Russian aggression. For the same reason, Finns are currently quite united in their belief that Ukraine must be supported in its fight for independence.

For this reason, Finland is now sending its 25th aid package to Ukraine. After this, the total value of the defense material sent will rise to €2.3 billion, keeping Finland among the countries that have provided the most support to Ukraine in relation to the size of its economy.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland Must Avoid Ukraine’s Fate
Will Russia Test NATO's Article Five?
Ukraine can and will stop Putin

Putin Set a Goal — Failure Would Be an Embarrassment

Yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on social media that Russia has successfully launched an offensive against Ukrainians in the Kursk region. President Vladimir Putin has also clarified the goal he has set for the Russian forces: the expulsion of Ukrainians from the Russian soil by the beginning of October.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has commented on the Russian offensive in the Kursk region, stating that everything is going according to Ukraine's plans. This likely suggests that the Russians have not made significant progress, at least in the first few days of their attack.

Therefore, it remains to be seen whether the Russians will succeed in their attempt to eliminate the war from their own soil, or if Ukraine will continue to remind them that they are still at war — and on their own territory, no less. What could be more embarrassing for self-made great men like Putin and Lavrov? 

* * *

Meanwhile, far in the north, there have been claims that drones are interfering with the Murmansk airport, with reports that two drones were even shot down. In relation to this, the Russians have been spreading disinformation, claiming that the drones supposedly came from Finland.

This claim is interesting because - if there truly were drones in Murmansk - it suggests that Moscow finds it too difficult to admit that such drones might have come all the way from Ukraine. Such an event would highlight the significant inability of the Russians to control their own airspace.

In any case, the war in Ukraine will continue, and the outcome remains uncertain. The only clear thing is that if the Russians manage to emerge even somewhat victorious, neighboring countries can be certain that sooner or later they, too, will face some sort of "special operations".

Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that Ukrainians receive the necessary help from the West to defeat the Russian army. Additionally, in any potential peace negotiations, support must be given to the return of all territories occupied by Putin's forces — including Crimea — to Ukraine.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland Must Avoid Ukraine’s Fate
Turning Points in the War in Ukraine and the West's Responsibility
Vandalism in Northern Sweden - But Who Is Responsible?

The Difference Between Left-Wing and Right-Wing Envy

In Finland, a humorous anecdote is occasionally shared, in which the ethnicity of the characters change. One version goes as follows.

When a person from Kainuu sees that his neighbor is becoming wealthy, he becomes envious and immediately starts to think about how to bring the neighbor back to being as poor as he is. However, if someone becomes rich in South Ostrobothnia, the neighbor also becomes envious but instead starts feverishly thinking about how he could achieve the same success.

The anecdote is said to illustrate well the cultural differences between the populations of these two Finnish regions. The same story is also often told with the Kainuu resident replaced by a Finn and the Southern Ostrobothnian by an American. In this version, the story is said to depict the cultural differences between the inhabitants of the two countries.

In reality, the story best illustrates the difference between the political right and left. A socialist always aims to equalize income differences, so they naturally start thinking about how to tax the income and wealth of the rich as effectively as possible. In contrast, an economic liberal sees successful people as role models, whose achievements he should aspire to emulate.

This applies both to economically poor Kainuu and to the stronghold of Finland's political right in Southern Ostrobothnia. And it applies just as well to largely social-democratic Finland as to the United States, which thrives on market economy principles.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Freudian slip, 9-year-old girl and cultural appropriation
Traditional beliefs turned out to be wisdom
Current status of mankind and its culture

Finland Must Avoid Ukraine’s Fate

The Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, General Janne Jaakkola, reminded us Finns that we must never find ourselves in the same situation as Ukraine is in right now. In other words, we should avoid having to repel a full-scale Russian attack as an underdog, where losses in personnel and equipment do not matter.

He also emphasized that the structures of Finnish society must be such that Russia cannot influence the country’s population or infrastructure, even in a wartime scenario. This view has certainly been noted by the current government, as well as by the opposition, and it will not go without impact.

Finland’s defense naturally relies on the strong will of its citizens to defend the country, on high-performance equipment, as well as on the bilateral defense agreement (DCA) signed with the United States and the security guarantees provided by NATO membership. In relation to the latter – according to the Commander of the Defence Forces – discussions are currently underway regarding the nationalities and composition of the forces to be stationed in Finland.

The general also stated that Russia does not pose an immediate military threat to Finland at the moment. However, he expressed concern that we do not have a clear understanding of Russia’s future intentions in Finland or elsewhere.

This is also understood by ordinary Finns, as NATO is, according to a recent survey, the fourth most trusted institution in Finland, following the Defence Forces, the police, and the education system. This reflects the fact that living next to an irresponsible great power helps Finns prioritize things – and security can only come first in this regard.

In relation to what I’ve written above, I’ve sometimes had to answer questions about why the Finnish will to defend is exceptionally high. I believe it largely stems from some form of national memory, where key factors include the seemingly endless suffering during Sweden’s great power era when Finns were sent to die across Europe at the whims of the king.

In this regard, I see the final stages of that era in the early 18th century as particularly significant, when – while Finnish soldiers were fighting elsewhere – the Russians occupied Finland twice (Great Wrath and Russo-Swedish war (1741-1743), looting, raping, killing, and taking women and children as slaves in large numbers. This is something that we absolutely do not want to see repeated ever again.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Message From and To Vladimir Putin
Defending National Security: Finland's Response to Hybrid Warfare
History of Finland IV: The bleakest time in Finnish history

Turning Points in the War in Ukraine and the West's Responsibility

For a while, there was an interesting situation in the war in Ukraine: the Russians were advancing in the eastern parts of the country at the same time as Ukraine's offensive towards Kursk was making deeper inroads into Putin's realm. Although the latter operation has proven to be a success—and still is—the Russian advance towards the eastern Ukrainian transportation hub of Pokrovsk has been considered highly concerning from Ukraine's perspective.

Apparently, the Ukrainians share this concern, as they have transferred a small elite force to the area, which seems to have been able to halt the Russian advance with a counteroffensive—or even push them back. Time will tell whether the Russians will be able to continue their advance or if this was the end of it, at least for now.

Another piece of news from Ukraine concerns the new types of weapons that Zelensky's army has received. The first of these is a long-range missile/drone, soon to be followed by a ballistic missile. It remains to be seen how Ukraine will make use of these weapons.

The second new weapon in Ukraine's arsenal is a "dragon drone", capable of burning a long stretch of terrain by dropping incendiary materials onto the enemy like a flamethrower. One can only imagine what it must feel like for Russian soldiers in the trenches when attacked by such a device.

Of course, it remains to be seen what impact these new weapons systems will have on the course of the war. And at what point the Russians will develop their own dragon drone, turning the fight into an even more hellish experience for the Ukrainians.

* * *

The other question, of course, is how the war will progress. Right now, it seems that a quick resolution is not on the horizon, in either direction. And so, soldiers from both Russia and Ukraine will continue to be fed into the jaws of war—while Putin's army continues its terrorist attacks on civilian targets.

All in all, the war demonstrates to the entire world the absurdity of Russian imperialism, which is the cause of this idiotic conflict. The United States and the United Kingdom also have some soul-searching to do, as they, along with the Russians, convinced the Ukrainians during their independence that their sovereignty would be guaranteed even without nuclear weapons.

They have not done so but have instead allowed the Russians to freely practice their terrorist power politics towards Ukraine. They have shown that international agreements are worth little more than the paper—or nowadays, perhaps the computer memory—they are written on. This, to say the least, is shameful.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Role of Ukraine Aid in the Elections of Thuringia and Saxony, Germany
Turning Points in the War in Ukraine: New Threats and Unexpected Allies
Ukrainian Offensive Encircles Russian Forces, Echoes of Past Defeats

Will immigration give rise to a National Socialist party in Finland

In Germany, people are fed up with Berlin's immigration policy, as we could observe in the recent state elections. This is due to problems caused by certain groups of immigrants.

These problems continued when an Austrian Islamist, who apparently tried to reach the Israeli embassy, opened fire in Munich, resulting in the police ending his radicalism. One of the man's motives was likely the anniversary of the Munich massacre, where Palestinian terrorists killed eleven Israeli athletes.

This incident is unlikely to reduce the popularity of Germany's immigration-critical parties but will rather deepen Chancellor Olaf Scholz's troubles in leading the country. This may, in turn, lead to a real collapse of the Social Democrats (SPD) in next year's federal elections.

However, for the time being, there are no clear signs of this, although SPD's support has fallen in the polls from 24.1% in the 2021 federal election to around 15%. At the same time, particularly Sahra Wagenknecht's BSW party, which primarily represents national socialism and is critical of immigration, has increased its support from zero to eight percent - in other words, eating away a part of the SPD's support.

* * *

The situation of Germany's Social Democrats made me wonder whether a nationalist left-wing party could also emerge in Finland at some point. So far, especially the Left Alliance and the Greens, but also the SDP, have followed the traditions of international socialism - even though they no longer dare to call it internationalism - and thus there is no political home for nationalist leftists in Finland.

Of course, it is evident that there is currently no demand for such a party, but if Finland's growing immigrant population, like their German counterparts, increasingly profiles itself as a source of problems, such a movement could also emerge in our political left.

It is an undeniable fact that it is precisely the lower-income segment of the native population - and therefore often positively inclined towards socialism - that comes into the most contact with the population from developing countries. And thus, they also suffer the most from the negative side effects of immigration.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Finnish Government is Unanimous on Fixing the Country's Economy
The Role of Ukraine Aid in the Elections of Thuringia and Saxony, Germany
Javier Milei of Argentina Called England a Dystopian Socialist Nightmare

A Message From and To Vladimir Putin

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin stated that his favorite candidate for U.S. president is Kamala Harris. He explained that she might possibly refrain from imposing sanctions against Russia.

The question, of course, is why Putin commented on the U.S. elections. Did he genuinely want to express his support for the Democratic candidate, or was he rather trying to sabotage her campaign, knowing that not many Americans trust him at all?

My guess is that it's the latter. After all, he got along quite well with Donald Trump during Trump's previous presidency and probably assumes that it would be the same during a second term. This may or may not be the case, but in any case, Harris has already declared her support for Ukraine in its struggle for survival against Russia.

Therefore, for Americans, it's safest not to listen to Vladimir Putin and to make their voting decisions based on their own considerations. This ensures – if nothing else – that Putin cannot interfere in the elections of the largest democracy in the Western world.

Here in Finland, it has been noted with satisfaction that U.S. F-35 fighter jets have landed in Finland. These are the same aircraft that the Finnish Air Force has ordered for its next fleet, and the visit of the American planes sends a message to Putin and other Russian war hawks that it’s in their best interest to keep their own fighter jets out of Finnish airspace.

The visit of the top U.S. fighter jets to Finland was beneficial for the Americans as well. This can be inferred from the statement made by a U.S. Air Force general, who said, "The opportunity to learn from our Finnish counterparts enhances our ability to rapidly deploy and operate airpower from unconventional locations and reflects the collective readiness and agility of our forces."

This is exactly how cooperation should be: mutually beneficial for both parties!

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland Will Thrive with Any US President, Trump Survived the Assassination Attempt
Joe Biden Must Step Aside, But Can a Suitable Candidate Be Found?
Did the Finnish Prime Minister promise Hornet fighter jets to Ukraine?

The Finnish Government is Unanimous on Fixing the Country's Economy

The Finnish economy is in poor condition for many reasons. However, the situation is about to change, as the government formed by the political right has decided to address the issue.

This is despite the fact that the opposition, led by the left, has done everything in its power to sow discord among the government parties. One party has been accused of racism, and another of favoring the wealthy. And so on.

Nevertheless, the relations between the governing parties seem to be working, as evidenced by the fact that a budget meeting planned for two days only took one day. And there is no doubt that the outcome will have economic impacts on the lives of ordinary Finns.

The government's decisions were varied. First of all, changes were made to taxation so that low- and middle-income people will have more of their salary left for personal use than before. On the other hand, spending was directed toward essential expenses, and therefore, significant cuts were made to less essential items, such as development aid.

Despite these decisions, Finland's economy will not turn around overnight. However, over time, especially the structurally important budget changes, such as better support for business innovation, will take effect and lift Finland's economy out of its current decline.

It is also certain that the political green-left will not stop offering socialist solutions. And if they come to power in the 2027 elections and undo the continuity of the decisions now made, Finland will face an even more challenging future than the present.

That is why it is important for voters to understand this and refrain from disrupting the positive progress that is currently underway. Personally, I believe in that.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Will Orpo's Government Restore Finland to Sustainable Economic Growth?
Finns are backing the government making difficult decisions
Change of immigration policy and development cooperation