The Strike Made Finnair the Worst Airline in the World – But the Strike General Doesn’t Care

Finland’s national airline, Finnair, has – at least according to the Germans – become the worst airline in the world. The reason for this is the high number of flight cancellations caused by employee strikes.

I won’t take a stance in this piece on whether the strikes were justified or not, but I would like to draw your attention, dear readers, to what the chairman of the union behind the strikes, Juhani Haapalehto, bluntly stated when asked what he would like to say to the at least one hundred thousand passengers whose travel plans were disrupted by the strikes.

Haapalehto said: “It’s not worth it for me to comment one way or another. It would be misunderstood. After all, air passengers are not our customers – our members are.”

His comment has been met with astonishment in Finland. For example, the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, Juho Romakkaniemi, wondered how “the union (and apparently its members) seems to have no understanding of who ultimately pays their salaries. It’s sad, all in all.”

Unfortunately, this case reflects a broader trend of Finnish union leaders becoming increasingly detached from the everyday lives of ordinary people and wage earners. Their only apparent goal seems to be preserving their own positions and perks, and – as happens in every election in Finland – funneling union membership fees into the campaign efforts of left-wing parties.

For now, the strikes have ended, but the actual dispute between the unions and Finnair’s management remains unresolved. As a result, the rights of passengers and the future of the airline are likely to hang in the balance once the current agreement expires.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finnair Pilots' Actions Spark Employer Countermove 
Why Can't Finland Find Workforce?
History of Finland XIII: The far-right's rebellion

Pedro Sánchez Sides with Europe's Fifth Column on Russia

In the last century, it was quite natural for the political left in Western countries to form a fifth column in support of the Soviet Union. After all, socialists and communists shared a common worldview based on the philosophy outlined by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

However, the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, and as a result, a large number of more or less democratic, non-socialist states emerged in the area of the former socialist superpower. The largest of these was Russia, whose new leader, Boris Yeltsin, together with his administration, began to steer the country toward a market economy system, which had proven to be vastly superior to the socialist planned economy.

At the time, there was also a belief that the previously divided world would unite, and that its eastern part would develop toward a Western-style welfare state. There was even talk of “the end of history.”

* * *

As I wrote yesterday, Finland has decided to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty on anti-personnel mines. The decision was made with an overwhelming majority, but most of the current far left voted against it. This is largely the same group that has opposed measures aimed at preventing Russia from exploiting asylum seekers as part of its hybrid warfare.

In Spain, the country is governed by socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. He, too, appears to be siding with Russia by asking NATO to exempt Spain from raising its defense spending to five percent of its gross domestic product.

Behind this may be Sánchez’s calculation that Spain, being far from Russia’s border, is not in danger—even if Vladimir Putin’s army were to cross the border into the territory of the European Union. Or perhaps, like the Finnish far left, he is simply unable to recognize the threat that the heir of the former Soviet Union poses to the West.

In any case, it is clear that Ukraine’s harsh fate as the target of Putin’s imperialist aggression has taught nothing to the socialists in Finland and Spain. That is why they form an ideological fifth column within the European Union.

It remains to be seen, however, whether the socialists in other EU countries will also display a similar nostalgic sympathy toward Putin’s Russia as the left in Finland and Spain. And, of course, how NATO and U.S. President Donald Trump—who originally set the five percent target—will respond to the situation.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland Decides to Withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty — But What Business Is It of Guterres?
Ukraine’s Former Foreign Minister Warns Against Another 1939
Should Finland Heed the Warnings of a Left-Wing Idealist?

Former President of Finland, Tarja Halonen, suggested that Ukraine should cede part of its territory

Finland's most left-wing president in history, Tarja Halonen, suggested that Ukraine should cede part of its territory to the control of international forces. These forces should not include soldiers from EU or NATO countries.

The question, of course, is what kind of forces would make up this contingent occupying part of Ukraine. Chinese, Indian, Iranian, or African troops? Or even Russian and Belarusian troops?

In Finland, Halonen is known as a president who pursued Russia's interests and, as part of that, did everything she could to weaken the country's defense forces and opposed Finland joining NATO. Fortunately, she failed, and Finland still has the capability to defend itself.

It is important for Ukraine and Ukrainian´s to know this so that President Zelenskyi and his administration understand to immediately reject any potential consultation from Tarja Halonen. She is not an advocate for peace or security, and - for example - during her presidency, she never expressed concern about Russia's actions in world politics but rather about those of the USA.

The difference between Halonen and the current President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, is vast. This was evident most recently at a peace conference held in Switzerland, where he stated: "I strongly urge China to influence Putin, in particular, to stop this war and withdraw".

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finnish weapons are being tested against the Russians in Ukraine
The procrastination of Western countries is paid for with the blood of soldiers
Why Finland will apply for a membership in NATO

Duck emphasizing the urgency of the new border law

In Finland, there is fear of a hybrid operation organized by Russia, which could result in an influx of asylum seekers from developing countries as spring arrives. Among them, there may also be activists or operatives playing into Putin's hands.

For this reason, the government has prepared a proposal to enhance our country's ability to defend against Russian aggression. During the preparatory consultation process, the draft legislation in question received some critical comments - as expected - so the potential enactment of the law is still ahead.

However, there is hope that this so-called "pushback law" - or the new border law - could be finalized and enacted as soon as possible, and that it would also be effective in practice. This has also been emphasized by both the former and current leaders of the country's foreign policy.

* * *

Relating to the text above, MTV3 published news yesterday stating that if something "looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably a duck." The discussion was about a series of mischief in the Baltic countries, suspected to be a hybrid operation organized by Russia.

Related to these incidents, Janis Sarts, the Director of NATO's Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, assessed that if Russia sees the method working in the Baltics, similar hybrid influence operations could also be seen in Finland in the future. This could include, for example, Molotov cocktail attacks or threats against daycare centers - something hardly any Finn would want.

It is evident that the suspicion of the hybrid nature of the crimes witnessed is correct, and therefore Sarts' assessment should also be taken seriously in Finland. Steps should be taken to ensure that Russia is not given leeway on our own soil.

Understanding this issue in all parliamentary groups - including those on the political left - is essential right now. And especially when the government's new proposal for the so-called "pushback law" is next up for discussion: in that context, I certainly wouldn't like to see a single useful idiot for Putin.

This is because the law will need to be enacted as a so-called emergency law, which requires a five-sixths majority in parliament. If such a majority cannot be found, there is a risk that we will soon find ourselves even more at the mercy of Russia's bloody dictator.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Desperate cry of Russians
The Finnish forest is life-threatening to asylum-seekers
Political rats and useful idiots