Swedish Left Politicians Sent Letters to Palestinian Terrorists

The Finnish Broadcasting Company reported that Swedish left-wing politicians had sent letters of encouragement to Palestinian terrorists imprisoned by Israel. One of the recipients was Ahmad al-Moghrabi, who had ordered an attack on a family gathering in which eleven people, including two small children, were killed.

The Swedes had asked Palestinians living in Sweden for a list of people to whom they could send letters, and the Palestinians had provided them with such a list, which included terrorists.

The Swedish politicians are now expressing regret over what happened and blaming the Palestinians for their mistake. The fact remains, however, that even in Israel, people are presumably not imprisoned — at least not for long periods — without good reason. Not even Palestinians.

It remains to be seen whether what happened will have any effect on support for the Swedish left-wing party. And if it does, whether the effect will be positive or negative from their perspective — in other words, whether there is a pro-terrorism sentiment among Swedes of immigrant background who typically vote for green and left-wing parties, or whether they have already adopted the Western view that terrorism is unacceptable under any circumstances.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Is Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle Using Taxpayer Money to Mislead?
Burning a Man Alive Led to Life Imprisonment
Who Is Responsible: The Donor or the Recipient of Aid?

Lessons for EU Citizens from the Ceuta Episode

The events in Ceuta have led Europeans to wake up. Or at least almost all of them, since 22 EU countries – Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden – have signed a letter calling for effective protection of the external borders, action to prevent illegal entry, and support for Spain. Finland’s signatory was Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (National Coalition Party).

It is regrettable, of course, that five countries have expressed their desire to see the continuation of the modern-day mass migration by refusing to sign the demand. They are Spain, France, Ireland, Luxembourg and Portugal, whose motives are – at least to me – rather difficult to understand, because this is not about immigration in general but specifically about illegal immigration.

* * *

The Finnish Government evidently takes illegal immigration seriously, since Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen (Finns Party) immediately instructed her ministry’s officials to prepare the measures required for closing Finland’s EU internal borders. According to her, the purpose is to ensure that the “decisions required to close the internal borders can, on the basis of this preparatory work, be made very quickly if the need arises.”

In other words, neither Rantanen nor Finland is unilaterally closing the EU’s internal borders, but rather creating the capability to do so quickly if necessary. This is important because, in the absence of both the necessary legislation – and the political will – the Finnish Government was forced in 2015 to stand by helplessly as large numbers of illegal immigrants poured into our country from the western border.

As a result of the preparations now under way, the steps required to close our country’s EU borders will in future already be prepared in advance, meaning that shutting them can be accomplished with a single order from the Government. And as a result, the internal movement of illegal immigrants into our northern land will come to an end.

* * *

It remains to be seen whether Finland will ever need the legislation currently being prepared. In any case, the events in Ceuta turned out to be a brief episode, possibly caused by organized – perhaps even state-sponsored – crime.

This is because there is no way to get from Ceuta to mainland Europe without border checks. Thus, it was not a route that could have led to a repetition of the events of 2015. Consequently, the Moroccans who had rushed there soon returned to their home country.

In the end, the whole Ceuta episode concluded happily, just like a fairy tale. Instead of the modern-day mass migration taking another step forward, it reminded EU politicians that it is better to prepare in advance than to find themselves searching for illegal immigrants all over the Union.

That is why it is difficult to understand the stupidity demonstrated by the power-holders in Spain, France, Ireland, Luxembourg and Portugal by refusing to sign the demand mentioned at the beginning. Perhaps, in their next parliamentary elections, the citizens of those countries will understand that they would be well advised to consider giving their votes to politicians more responsible than their current rulers!

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
From Burden to Benefit: Reforming Immigration in Finland
Sensible Immigration or Moral Posturing?
Why is Somalia unwilling to meet Finland’s conditions for continuing development cooperation?

Forest Growth and Human Stupidity Led to France's Wildfires

Today, the leadership of Finland's Natural Resources Institute (Luke) stated that the increasing number of forest fires in Europe and North America is due not only to global warming but also, to a large extent, to the steadily growing carbon stock that has accumulated in forests over several decades. According to them, this is the result of two main factors: increasingly effective wildfire suppression and reduced use of forests through timber harvesting.

As a remedy, the authors propose increasing the volume of the forest industry, cleaning up logging residues after harvesting, and carrying out prescribed burns. In other words, they advocate many of the same measures that President Donald Trump mentioned several years ago in connection with California's wildfires.

But good heavens—wouldn't that also mean more jobs for people and more taxable income for the public sector? Surely that couldn't be acceptable! Or could it?

In any case, the authors' perspective is like a breath of fresh air in the stale forest policy debate that has long been dominated by nature conservation and environmental advocacy groups. If for no other reason, it would be encouraging to see political decision-makers around the world—or at least in Finland—take their views seriously.

* * *

Luke's assessment is scientifically well-founded, but it is not the whole story. It overlooks one important factor in the ignition of forest fires: human stupidity.

The wildfires that have struck France in recent days provide a clear example. Many of them have been started by people—either deliberately or through carelessness. In fact, the majority of all forest fires are caused by human activity.

There is only one remedy for that: using common sense when spending time in nature. That, in turn, requires both awareness of the risks and the ability to act rationally. It remains to be seen whether the people of France will rise to that challenge—or whether devastating wildfires will become a recurring tragedy there.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Challenging What We Think We Know: Wildfires Reveal the Power of Science
Control of Douglas fir beetles by woodborer beetles
Forests in Indonesia and Finland

A Timely Reminder of the Failures of Europe’s Political Leaders

Next Sunday, we will once again move the clocks forward by one hour. This was reported by Uutissuomalainen, according to which “the proposal to end clock changes is still awaiting consideration by the EU Council. Not all member states have formed their positions.”

The article also stated that “the European Commission wants to promote the abolition of the daylight saving time directive. Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apóstolos Tzitzikostas launched an evaluation in February to examine the EU-wide impacts of clock changes.”

The report is expected to be completed by the end of the year, the Ministry of Transport and Communications said in a press release. After that, the Commission will assess further actions.

* * *

In this respect, it is rather remarkable that this is by no means a new issue. As I myself wrote already six years ago, “perhaps an even more illustrative example of the EU’s inability to make decisions was once again highlighted last night. We still had to move the hands of the clock, even though a majority of EU citizens would like to end it and both the Commission and Parliament have already made decisions on the matter.”

And that is not all, because as much as eleven and a half years ago I could state that “studies have shown that changing the clocks is harmful overall, and therefore the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare has recommended abandoning the practice.” This has not changed over the years, as a scientific review article published last year found that “the transition to daylight saving time was associated with harmful effects ranging from reduced sleep duration and quality to increased sleepiness.”

* * *

Therefore, it is worth repeating once again the fact that this endless clock-changing farce is likely to weaken people’s faith and trust in the European Union—if it has not already made it a laughing stock. And what is worse, year after year it shows ever more clearly that this is not merely about people’s feelings but about harsh reality.

Indeed, the clock-changing farce undeniably demonstrates the shocking incompetence of our continent’s leaders, which is undoubtedly one reason why we have fallen behind the United States both economically and militarily, as the striking chart of GDP development below clearly shows.

Unfortunately, clock changes and economic problems are not the only areas in which European leaders have failed. At the same time, they have also managed to fill many member states with welfare migrants from developing countries—while the birth rate of the native population has dropped dramatically.

European politicians have also succeeded in weakening the continent’s military capability to such an extent that Russia has been able to wage its war in Ukraine for years without the EU being able to intervene. And even worse, they have encouraged the U.S. president to question the usefulness of NATO—developments that could ultimately lead to the loss of Europe’s future and the way of life of its people.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
EU Carbon Sink Policy Lacks Cost-Effectiveness
Is the EU a Real Player in World Politics—or Just a Paper Tiger?
Changing the Clocks Reduces Trust in the European Union

Is Female Genital Mutilation a Lesser Crime Than Rape?

The Finnish police have launched the first preliminary investigations into the genital mutilation of girls taking place within well-known immigrant communities. Hopefully, the cases will be clarified and those responsible will be punished.

According to a news report on the matter, a person guilty of mutilating girls’ genitals — that is, so-called circumcision — may be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from one to ten years. In other words, the scale is quite broad.

For my part, I would hope that the courts eventually handling the first cases will be up to their task and refrain from applying the lowest penalties on the scale. I justify this by noting that, according to the law, even basic-form rape must result in a custodial sentence of at least one year — and surely no reasonable person can consider the permanent damage of a woman’s genitals to be a lesser act than their forced use?

It is therefore also necessary to question the reasoning of lawmakers — that is, ministers and members of parliament — who have implicitly written into law the view that causing permanent bodily harm would be equivalent to causing temporary harm. This despite the fact that rape also has lasting and serious psychological consequences — but does not mutilation, which is considered particularly brutal violence, have many times more such consequences? And does the fact that it is typically inflicted on girls of growing age not make circumcision even more condemnable?

If I were a lawmaker myself, I would have started the penalty scale for mutilation from where it ends for ordinary rapes. I would also have added to the law the deportation of the parent or parents who decided on the mutilation, if they are not native Finns. After all, the intentional damage of genital organs is an act that demonstrates complete disregard for the values and legislation of Finnish society.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Will European Culture Collapse Under the Weight of Islamic Immigration?
Finnish Society Adopts Medieval Characteristics
A Muslim Woman's Lack of Solidarity with Iranian Women

Jimmie Åkesson Is Sweden’s Most Widely Accepted Politician

Today I read an interesting piece of information on social media. According to it, Jimmie Åkesson (Sweden Democrats) is the most widely accepted politician in Sweden.

It therefore seems very much as if our western neighbor is beginning to wake up to reality. But the question is whether it is already too late.

This can be examined, for example, in light of the numbers of ethnic backgrounds residing in Sweden that have proven to be problematic.

Information on this is provided, for instance, by Wikipedia, according to which in 2023 Sweden was home to, among others—by country of birth—approximately 200,000 Syrians, just under 150,000 Iraqis, 86,000 Iranians, 68,000 Somalis, 67,000 Afghans, 56,000 Turks, 49,000 Eritreans, 29,000 Lebanese, and 28,000 Pakistanis. And, of course, all of their descendants.

Out of the total population of 10.5 million people, around 7.6 million are ethnically Swedish, and the rest were born in countries other than those mentioned above, the most significant of which are Finland, Poland, the countries of the former Yugoslavia, and India. Of children, only about two thirds are still ethnically Swedish.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Two Men Sentenced for Raping Underage Girls
Is Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle Using Taxpayer Money to Mislead?
The Left Wants to Grill a Swedish Minister Over His Son’s Past – What’s Really Behind It?

The original blogpost in Finnish:
Åkesson on hyväksytyin ruotsalaispoliitikko

Understanding of European Terrorism by Left-wing and Value-liberal Politicians

The terrorism situation and trend report published by Europol showed that jihadist terrorism was once again the deadliest form of terrorism in the EU in 2024. It claimed five lives and left 18 people injured.

During 2024, EU member states reported a total of 58 terrorist attacks. Of these, 34 were carried out, five failed, and 19 were foiled. Attacks were reported in 14 different countries. Of the attacks, 24 were considered to have been committed by jihadist terrorists. In 21 cases, the perpetrators were left-wing or anarchist terrorists.

On the other hand, a total of 40 attempted attacks were prevented in the European Union. Of these, 18 were jihadist-motivated, 21 left-wing or anarchist-motivated, and one far-right-motivated. The foiled jihadist attempts targeted in particular large public events, whereas the left-wing and anarchist attempts were mostly directed at industrial and private-sector targets.

I believe these figures speak for themselves about the consequences of European immigration policy, without me having to spell them out. Such an understanding would be especially important for left-wing and value-liberal politicians, who have been active supporters of this development.

Unfortunately, however, I am skeptical as to whether they would be able—or even willing—to draw logical conclusions from the figures I have presented, since immigration has long since ceased to be a fact-based issue and has instead become a kind of religious confession, in which dissent automatically leads to exclusion from one’s own reference group—and thus to the end of a political career.

Previous thought on the same topic:
Burning a Man Alive Led to Life Imprisonment
Will Tomorrow’s Elections in Germany Be a Turning Point?
Will European Culture Collapse Under the Weight of Islamic Immigration?

EU Commission Should Take Migration and Related Crime Seriously

A Finnish district court has sentenced Kerime Örcel, 30, and Johan Araf Josef Otterdahl, 22, to long prison terms in a criminal case involving the manufacture of a thermos bomb and aggravated drug offenses. In a press conference, the police stated they suspect the planned bombing attack was commissioned by a Swedish criminal organization.

Otterdahl had agreed to detonate the thermos bomb at the entrance of an apartment building in an immigrant-dominated suburb in the Helsinki region and had received the assignment from a Swedish criminal group, which had promised him a reward for carrying out the act. The bomb had a lethal blast radius of approximately three meters and could have caused shrapnel injuries within an 11-meter range.

Örcel was apprehended at the end of September when she transported 157 kilograms of amphetamines and 20,000 ecstasy tablets across the border into Finland. This is the largest single amphetamine seizure in Finnish criminal history. Otterdahl, on the other hand, was arrested later in the autumn.

* * *

The above case is just one example of how the problems of Swedish society are also spreading to Finland as immigrant-background criminals expand their territory across the Baltic Sea. So far, the Finnish police have succeeded quite well in preventing larger problems, but time will tell how long this can continue.

That is why it is important that Swedes also take their problems seriously and prevent them from spreading across the Baltic. Toward Denmark, however, it is already too late, as Swedish criminals now move rather freely across the Danish straits to commit crimes (example).

All of this also demonstrates that the migration-related problems faced by European countries are by no means local, and therefore cannot be resolved solely through local measures. That is why the EU Commission and politicians should take migration into Europe and the related crime seriously—unlike what has happened in recent years.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Getting Populists to Govern Responsibly: What the Netherlands and Finland Can Teach Us
Police to Finnish Graduates: Leave Fireworks, Blades, and Booze at Home
Why Integration Policy Must Confront Cultural Conflicts

President of Finland Asked Whether There Are Top Politicians With Serious Intellectual Limitations

The President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, outlined today in Kyiv the facts that must be realized in any potential peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. They are as follows:

1. Ukraine’s EU membership is for the European Union to decide, not Russia.

2. Ukraine’s NATO membership is for NATO to decide, not Russia.

3. Russia cannot decide on territories that belong to Ukraine or define its borders.

4. Russia cannot determine Europe’s security order, as it already exists.

All of these are, of course, self-evident facts that no serious politician would dispute. And that is why bringing them up would be unnecessary if every relevant party had common sense.

Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case, and even the most obvious facts must be reiterated time and time again. It remains to be seen whether the so-called top politicians of the world still include those with severe shortcomings in their understanding, revealing their intellectual limitations by advocating ideas that contradict the Finnish president’s list.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finally, Finland Speaks the Truth Without Fear!
Trump’s America: Criminal or Benefactor?
Putin, Trump, and the Prospect of Peace

Is the UK's Democracy Facing an Existential Crisis?

In the UK, a petition was launched to call for a General Election. Its proposer believes that "the current Labour Government has gone back on the promises it laid out in the lead-up to the last election." The Government needs to respond to the request because it has obtained more than 2.6 million signatories in just a few days.

This is a peculiar case, as the election that transferred power from the Conservatives to the Labour Party took place only last July 4th — just four and a half months ago.

This demonstrates that Keir Starmer is facing exceptional dissatisfaction in the UK. One likely reason is the heavy-handed manner in which his government dealt with Britons protesting against criminal immigrants in late summer. It even released actual criminals from prison to make room for political detainees.

There is also data to back this up. According to surveys, a majority of the public was already dissatisfied with Starmer’s administration by September. In a recent poll, 28% of the public hold a favourable view of Labour, compared to 49% who view the party unfavourably.

However, other parties are not faring well either. Reform UK has the highest favourability rating of any party, with 27% holding a favourable view of the party and 46% unfavourable, while the figures for other parties are even worse.

It is therefore necessary to ask whether the UK's democracy is facing an existential crisis where no political solution satisfies the citizens. And one must hope — if this is indeed the case — that the politicians of the island nation find a way to address the situation while respecting the principles of democracy.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Predictions Based on the Opinion Polls in the UK
Why Were Violent Protests Acceptable for George Floyd but Not for the UK Child Murders?
Elections in the UK: A Shift Toward Hand-Waving Politics?

Nordic Police Announce: Spread of Gang Violence Cannot Be Stopped

The Nordic countries—Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland—have traditionally been seen as civilized, peaceful, and safe places to live. That’s why it was surprising to read that Nordic police organizations are struggling to keep up with the gang violence that started in Sweden.

According to a statement from these organizations, police forces are no longer able to respond to or prevent the spread of gang violence, which is becoming a problem across the entire Nordic region. This statement has been signed by police organizations from Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland.

It’s worth asking, then, who is responsible for letting the situation reach this point. This particularly concerns Sweden’s immigration policy, which has resulted in the formation of gangs and even dozens of areas where fire trucks and ambulances will not go without police protection.

In addition to identifying who is to blame, it’s essential to determine how these gangs can be brought under control despite police concerns. After all, it’s clear that criminals cannot be allowed to gain the upper hand in this matter, as this would mean that the Nordic countries, known for their equality, would become a mere memory of how politicians, who once aimed to improve the world, ended up destroying societies that provided the best quality of life in the world.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Managing Societal Change with a Growing Muslim Population
Sweden's Gang Crime Recruits Children – Is It Time for the EU to Reevaluate Asylum Policies?
Sweden's Rapid Demographic Shift Causes Challenges

Sweden's Gang Crime Recruits Children – Is It Time for the EU to Reevaluate Asylum Policies?

Members of the "Nattvandrarna" association in Sweden have told Sweden's TV4 that, with the increase in gang-related crime among children and young people, even eight-year-old children have been recruited for shady activities. And 12-year-old children wear bulletproof vests, saying that "it's much easier to be shot in the head because then you die instantly."

The recruitment of children happens in such a way that older gang members make contact with them and try to be friendly, for example, by offering them treats. Once the connection is established, the children are given simple tasks, such as whistling if the police or another perceived threat to the criminals approaches. This way, for example, drug dealers can disappear from the scene and avoid getting caught.

Naturally, those working with the Nattvandrarna association are concerned about the situation and have tried to draw politicians' attention to it, for example by inviting them to join them on the streets. However, the success has been minimal, with decision-makers at best merely writing worried statements.

* * *

Sweden's southern neighbor, Denmark, has tightened border controls at their shared border because Swedish gang crime has also spilled over there. The country's Deputy Chief of Police has reported that Swedish youths have been lured across the border to commit murders.

According to him, one can earn 100,000 crowns for killing someone in Denmark. However, according to Denmark's TV2, the amount is somewhere between 300,000 and 500,000 Swedish crowns, which is equivalent to tens of thousands of euros. It’s a cheap price for a human life, but an enormous amount of money for a child from an immigrant family that has failed to integrate.

* * *

All of this is public knowledge. Despite this, people who have proven to be poorly integrated are still allowed to seek asylum in Western countries. For example, in Finland, the principle is still followed that asylum is granted unless the authorities can prove that the application is based on false grounds. In other words, the asylum seeker does not have to prove that they are under threat in their home country; it is enough to credibly claim that this is the case.

Such a practice is pure foolishness and leads to difficulties like those that have occurred in Sweden. This is evidenced by the fact that in the Swedish-speaking Åland Islands, which are part of Finland, there has been a continuous influx of Swedes in recent years.

As a result, the proportion of residents born in Sweden in the region has already risen to ten percent. These people openly state that security concerns were one of the main reasons for their move.

So, the question is whether Finns and citizens of other EU countries should do something about it before it is too late. Like changing their interpretation of the Geneva Refugee Convention or reducing the kinds of incentives that have led to mass immigration of people who are poorly integrated into society - the latter being included in the action plan of the current Finnish Government.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Swedish TV Did Not Learn Anything From the Riots in the UK
Sweden's Rapid Demographic Shift Causes Challenges
Finland to Tighten Asylum Legislation and Reduce Undocumented Residents

Balancing the Books

In recent years, there has been much discussion about the indebtedness of nations. This includes Finland, whose debt-to-GDP ratio is at a middle level compared to other Western countries, although it is rapidly increasing.

This debt accumulation can be attributed to a variety of reasons, but it is often due to the inability of politicians in government to make difficult decisions. In other words, choices that may be unpopular with citizens and whose alternative is to arrange matters by taking on debt, the repayment of which will be handled by future governments and, in the worst case, even by generations yet to be born.

In this regard, Finland is an interesting case, as the country's economic growth has been negligible since 2008, while government expenditures have rapidly increased under several administrations. Consequently, public debt in relation to GDP has risen from 28% to 55% in just fifteen years.

As a result of this development, the public sector is forced to allocate increasingly large sums of money to debt servicing rather than providing services to citizens. Finnish Finance Minister Riikka Purra (Finns Party) highlighted this issue with a few examples.

According to her, Finland’s interest expenses on state debt will be 3.5 billion euros next year. This amount is about 1.6 times the total expenditures of the Ministry of the Interior's administration of internal security. It is also larger than the state subsidies for basic services provided by all municipalities to their residents or half of the operational budget allocated annually to the Finnish Defense Forces.

It is hoped that these examples will awaken the political left in Finland—and in other countries as well—to the understanding that lax economic policies have negative consequences. And for the people who elect their leaders to realize that there are no free lunches, and that expanding public services beyond revenues will only lead to bigger problems.

It seems that the current conservative government in Finland has at least a reasonable understanding of this, based on the Finance Minister's statement. However, it is hoped that this understanding will continue with future governments as well, so that Finland’s economy can be put back on a sustainable footing, ensuring that public services can be maintained in the future.

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
The difficult times for Finland's economy are coming to an end
Finns are backing the government making difficult decisions
Reducing taxes, enhancing export and paying the governmental debt

Finnish MEPs Saramo and Tynkkynen Engage in Social Media Clash Over Ukraine Support

Fresh Finnish Members of the European Parliament Jussi Saramo (GUE/NGL) and Sebastian Tynkkynen (ECR) have found themselves in a war of words on social media. It began when Tynkkynen stated that "yesterday, we voted in the European Parliament on a resolution regarding the need to continue EU support for Ukraine. The purpose was to renew the promise right at the start of the new term that the support will continue this term as well... The Left Group in the European Parliament had a different opinion. The majority of the group's MEPs did not vote in favor of the resolution."

Saramo responded to this with whataboutism, publishing a picture of Tynkkynen in Russia and a text saying, "Many have seen the attached picture of Sebastian Tynkkynen at a Putin propaganda camp in Russia. The picture was taken at a time when only the Finns Party in Finland admired Putin's authoritarian far-right regime."

Then came the surprise, as Tynkkynen admitted that he had indeed attended the camp, but he did so in cooperation with the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo) to update its information on a Russian individual who also attended the camp. According to him, "It was an honor to serve my country in this way. Therefore, it is shameful that the left twists the matter the other way around - as if I had been working for Russia. Russia did not benefit from me in any way. The situation originally went quite the opposite."

It remains to be seen how the sparring between the two Finnish MEPs will continue. And whether the Finnish Security Intelligence Service will comment on Tynkkynen's claim - after all, it is generally known for not shedding much light on its operations to outsiders.

Aiempia ajatuksia samasta aihepiiristä:
Henna Virkkunen: Opportunist or Unsuitable Commissioner Candidate?
Marxist far-right and bullies
Challenges of democracy: Reflections on political violence and rhetoric in Finnish politics
 

Immigration issue

Immigration from developing countries has changed Swedish society in such a way that a country once considered among the safest and most egalitarian in the world has become a haven for violent drug gangs. This is obviously an unfortunate situation for Swedes, but it seems that Finns are not unaffected either.

The Finnish media company MTV3 published today information received from the police indicating that, except for one, all of the recent violent incidents in Oulu, located on Finland's west coast, are related to drug trafficking. Oulu is a large city in its region, with more than 200,000 inhabitants. It is located near the freely trafficked Tornio border station at the northern tip of the Baltic Sea and therefore acts as a kind of drug trade hub through which drugs are distributed further—if they are not sold in the city already.

However, the Finnish media, as usual, remain silent about the fact that the Swedish drug trade has practically entirely shifted to immigrants from the Middle East or Africa, or their descendants. And thus, it is very much an immigration issue as well.

The Finnish police have said some time ago that they have been largely able to prevent the landing of Swedish criminal gangs, but after the incidents in Oulu, one must ask whether they are now failing in this task. This may be hinted at by the police officer interviewed in the MTV3 article, who directed his words to politicians: "more resources should be allocated to preventing drug-related crimes."

However, it must also be noted that drug trafficking would not occur in Sweden or Finland if there were no market for it. And those markets are not an immigration issue, but largely a result of a wealthy middle class increasingly shifting from alcohol to other substances. It is precisely they who can afford the recreational use of drugs like cocaine, thereby maintaining the most profitable branch of the drug business.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The stabbing of the 12-year-old led to political revelry among the left in Finland
Various forms of violence and prevention of terrorist attacks
An immigrant who stands out from the average has been taken into custody

The fundamentals of conservation biology wavered

The late Finnish Professor Ilkka Hanski and his team were at the absolute forefront of metapopulation research, as evidenced by the $500,000 Crafoord Prize awarded to him. The theory, which was Hanski's area of interest, also serves as a central framework for conservation.

According to Wikipedia, "in classical metapopulation theory, each population cycles in relative independence of the other populations and eventually goes extinct as a consequence of demographic stochasticity (fluctuations in population size due to random demographic events); the smaller the population, the more chances of inbreeding depression and prone to extinction."

As conservation has also become an increasingly important sector in political decision-making, as shown by Finland's rejection of the EU Commission's proposed restoration regulation, it was interesting to note a research report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States.

The report modeled the maintenance of the viability of metapopulations in fragmented landscapes by creating more complex, i.e., realistic, as well as simpler landscape structures. The former reflect fragmentation more realistically. The results showed that the findings from simpler models are not necessarily generalizable.

This is because dynamic phenomena that arise in more realistically fragmented landscapes often contradict the conclusions produced by simpler models. Thus, the new research undermines traditional metapopulation theory thinking - and at the same time its practical application in conservation thinking.

It remains to be seen how the research I have presented here will be covered by the European mainstream media. Or how it will affect, for example, the further development of the EU's restoration regulation. Or will it remain below the publication threshold of the media and thus not influence European conservation discussions in any way?

Since I strongly suspect that the research discussed here will remain unnoticed by the public, I decided to highlight the issue in this writing - in English and also Finnish - so that any journalist, politician, or other influencer interested in the matter - who reads this blog - could become aware of it. And could, if desired, read it themselves (the publication is open for reading) and utilize its results in their own activities.

Previous thoughts on the same topic: Preventing future fires in Hawaii is possible, but the question remains: Are animal activists and politicians prepared for the necessary measures? Traditional beliefs turned out to be wisdom Wolfs affect nature conservation