EU Presidency: PR success, so far
COMMENT
|
|
|
By Petteri Tuohinen
The Finnish Presidency of the European Union, which has lasted for a month, has received visible, and to some extent, positive commentary in the international media.
Journalist Jamie Smyth of the Irish Times wrote of his experiences in Finland, praising Finnish food, which he washed down with gooseberry wine.
Smyth was referring to criticism of Finnish culinary skills made by Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and French President Jaques Chirac.
The most influential newspaper in the EU, the British Financial Times, wrote about Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre), who was going to take over the EU Presidency, calling him modest, and as such, the "right person to lead the EU at the right time".
FT correspondent George Parker pointed out in his article that Vanhanen had built his own house, that he is a friend of heavy metal music, and that polls indicate that women like him.
Parker describes Finland's 50-year-old prime minister as a popular and modest leader for a country, which is repeatedly listed among the most competitive economies. He also notes that outside the Baltic Sea region, Vanhanen is quite unknown.
Other issues that have caught the eye of the international press have included the popularity of SMS messaging in Finland, the availability of news in Latin, the improvement of relations with Russia, promoting openness and transparency, and the capacity for innovation. The renowned British magazine The Economist added the Moomintroll characters of Tove Jansson to the list.
"In the cave they listened and listened, but all they heard was silence", The Economist quotes Jansson and continues: "So in the week when Finland takes over the rotating six-monthly presidency of the EU, it is worth asking: what would Europe be like if it were more like Finland? It would, for a start, be in better fiscal shape."
As holder of the EU Presidency, Finland could, in principle, take a breather for August, when nearly all of the rest of the EU is on holiday. However, this principle is broken by the heightened conflict in the Middle East.
"It is starting to look like we will be married to the situation in the Middle East throughout the Presidency period", said one Finnish civil servant.
Not much more of any relevance to the Presidency period happened in July. The agreement on a research programme negotiated by Trade and Industry Minister Mauri Pekkarinen (Centre) was one of the most important decisions. It involved nearly EUR 55 billion in funding for the coming seven years.
According to True Finns MP Timo Soini, who takes a critical view of the EU, Finland is taking an excessively naive view of the Union. However, he also says that the EU Presidency has not been a "disaster", even though he had no great expectations for it.
"I would give the grade fair plus. Coming from me, that is not bad at all", Soini said, commenting on the EU Presidency.
The crisis in the Middle East has given Soini food for thought. During his summer break he has thought about the violence, and about the key goal of the EU - the creation of stability in Europe.
"The situation in the Middle East is so bad that a country of this size cannot perform miracles there. I have been thinking about how valuable peace in Europe really is", Soini says.
The passionately pro-EU MEP Alexander Stubb (Nat. Coalition Party) gives Finland a good grade for the presidency.
"With respect to the Mideast situation, Finland has avoided the worst blunders. No cease fire has been achieved, but the Finns have also not angered either side - there is a new enthusiasm for Europe to be seen in Finland", Stubb says.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 29.7.2006
PETTERI TUOHINEN / Helsingin Sanomat
petteri.tuohinen@hs.fi
|
| 1.8.2006 - THIS WEEK |
 EU Presidency: PR success, so far |
|
