Current affairs

The Government decided to reintroduce internal border control at Finland’s borders starting on Tuesday 28 December. The Government decided on the new restrictions at its session on 28 December. The decision will remain in force until 16 January 2022.

Startups4Peace program has been initiated and supported by the Embassy of Finland for the past 6 years. The program aims to encourage young entrepreneurs from the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities to present their startup ideas as well as cooperate and exchange ideas and good practices. The winners get the opportunity to visit SLUSH - the world's biggest startup event arranged in Finland.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected tourism in many ways, and even experienced travellers may encounter unexpected situations. We recommend that you plan and find out about matters in advance to make sure that your journey proceeds as planned. The Consular Services of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs approaches travellers in a letter with a number of tips on how to cope in various situations.

During the last year, the 60th anniversary celebrations of the diplomatic relations between Finland and Cyprus were organized primarily virtually, however also physically towards the end of the year. The anniversary year was concluded at the Finnish Independence Day receptions both in Nicosia and in Limassol.

Our intern Josefina has worked at the Embassy of Finland in Nicosia and lived in the interesting city for three months. Josefina shares experiences of her autumn, which has included many events, reporting, and travelling around the island after the ease of the Covid restrictions.

In line with the Government decision of 16 December, the restrictions on entry at Finland’s external borders will continue and health security measures will be tightened as of 20 December. The decision will remain in force until 16 January 2022

In the lead-up to Christmas 2021, Santa and Mrs Claus have confirmed that the distribution of presents will go ahead as planned, and that the delivery route includes all locations around the globe, regardless of the coronavirus situation.

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus Dr. Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis has a personal and warm relationship with Finland. When moving to Finland with her husband in January 1975 as young students, Marcoullis and her husband were two of the few Cypriots in Finland. They also had a unique chance to meet the then President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios, who arrived to Helsinki to attend the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (now OSCE) Summit in July 1975. This remains very vividly in the memory of Marcoullis, as she now supports strongly the initiative of President Sauli Niinistö on bringing back the Helsinki Spirit to the international cooperation agenda.

Are you planning to travel abroad? The Foreign Ministry’s Consular Services want to remind travellers of the importance of a passport. This letter gives tips on what to do if you lose your passport during your journey.