Current affairs

Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini and Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland met on 8 November to discuss the upcoming Finnish Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The website of the Finnish Presidency was opened on the same day.

Finland’s Presidency of the Council of Europe will start on 21 November 2018. Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland will visit Finland on 8 November.

In mid-November, Finland will begin its term as Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. “The European human rights system is facing a new challenge: artificial intelligence,” says Ambassador Satu Mattila-Budich.

Protocol No. 16 to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms on a system of advisory opinions entered into force on 1 August 2018.

The member states of the Council of Europe should pay attention to the recognition of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons also outside their own borders. Finland must also be prepared to receive observations concerning its own LGBT situation, Foreign Minister Tuomioja said in Strasbourg.

Amendments to the Nationality Act (Kansalaisuuslaki 359/2003) entered into force as of 1 September 2011. The Act aims to improve the social cohesion and integration of immigrants by making naturalization more flexible.

Amendments to the Nationality Act (Kansalaisuuslaki 359/2003) will enter into force as of 1 September 2011. The Act aims to improve the social cohesion and integration of immigrants by making naturalization more flexible.

In 2003 Niklas Hed and his friends dreamed up a video game that would eventually become a worldwide phenomenon.

Finnish citizens need to keep their address updated in the Population Register System to ensure that they are informed about their right to vote in the parliamentary elections of spring 2011. Finnish citizens who reside abroad are obligated to make a notification of change of address to a local register office in Finland. It is advisable to inform the address to the nearest Finnish diplomatic or consular mission too.

The Winner of the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize is Professor Michael Grätzel from Switzerland for his third generation, low cost, dye-sensitized solar cells. President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen handed the EUR 800,000 Grand Prize and the prize trophy “Peak” to Professor Grätzel today at the Grand Award Ceremony at the Finnish National Opera, Helsinki.