Eastern Finland is looking for new means of entrepreneurship
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Five regions in Eastern Finland have submitted to the government an application for an annual sum of EUR 10 million that would be used to launch various projects to enhance the competitiveness of local firms and the know-how skills of the area in general.
An Eastern Finland development programme was handed to Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) in Helsinki on Wednesday. Even though the representatives of Eastern Finland asked only for a modest initial sum of money, Vanhanen did not make any promises right away.
The Eastern Finland advisory committee representing Southern Karelia, Southern Savo, Kainuu, Northern Karelia, and Northern Savo has recently completed a programme on the development of Finland's easterly regions. In addition to the Chairman, Rector Perttu Vartiainen of Joensuu University, the committee included Councillor of State Riitta Uosukainen, MP Jouni Backman, and Minister Paula Lehtomäki, as well as former MEP Eeva Ryynänen, among others.
The ideas that the committee proposed were related to Finland's nature, including forests and lakes, to the vicinity of Russia, as well as to the ageing of Finland's population.
The promotion of the area's nature and culture has not been very successful, according to the committee. The lakes are as important for the Eastern districts as the fells are for Lapland, and hence, the related prospects for tourism in both summer and winter seasons should be put to better use, the committee argues.
Actually, the registration of the Saimaa and Pielinen lake district as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO is currently pending.
The committee also believes that even cold and silence could be commercialized. Prospective customers could be found for example in Russia and China.
The committee found another growth area in the health and well-being services sector.
Along with the ageing population, there will be a number of solvent customers who are willing to pay for health and well-being services. The committee suggests that Eastern Finland could be among the first to develop service innovations. They would be likely to encourage particularly female entrepreneurs.
The committee proposes that the government should now allocate money to some pilot projects. These projects could include for example the development of immigration policy, as well as cooperation between Finland and Russia. This means that even the road network in Eastern Finland should be improved.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 7.4.2005 - TODAY |
 Eastern Finland is looking for new means of entrepreneurship
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