President calls for action on welfare gap at opening of Parliament

Halonen pleased with current distribution of foreign policy powers

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Social equality was a key theme when President Tarja Halonen officially opened the last full session of the present Parliament before the next elections in 2007. In her address, Halonen said that she hopes that more attention would be paid to social disparities in Finland.
      In the President's view, people do not always feel that their fundamental rights are realised. "There is dissatisfaction with the inequality that exists between population groups and between regions."
      Halonen felt that the municipal reform that is currently under preparation is "of highest importance".
      "I consider it important to ensure equitable regional development and that all people resident in Finland are guaranteed equal basic rights no matter where in Finland they live."
      The President also said that she hopes that attention would be paid to the welfare gap between different social groups.
     
Halonen praised the part of the constitution that imposes an obligation on the President and the government to cooperate in the leadership of foreign policy. "It has worked well", the President said.
      She made some rather veiled comments about the foreign policy debate that took place during the Presidential campaign.
      " Finland still needs to have a single clear foreign policy. Created and maintained in cordial mutual understanding by the President and the Government, with the support of Parliament, it is easy to adhere to."
      The tone of the message, when read in Finnish, was somewhat ambiguous, but the Swedish language version indicated that the tone was meant to be one of warning.
      Also brought forward was the idea put forward on Wednesday by Liisa Jaakonsaari (SDP), the chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Finnish Parliament, who recently proposed that the government should drop the practice of submitting foreign policy reports to Parliament during each Parliamentary term. She called for a more flexible practice.
      Security policy reports have been submitted regularly for the past ten years, and President Halonen noted that Parliament had a key role in preparing the 2004 report.
     
"Parliament's response to Government following submission of a Government Report provides a parliamentary endorsement and guideline for the conducting of foreign policy", Halonen said, adding that Parliament itself has proposed that its next report be filed in 2008.
      Liisa Jaakonsaari was not present at the opening herself, because she was taking part in a trip to Central Asia by members of her committee.


Links:
  President´s web site: Speech by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen at the opening of the 2006 session of Parliament, 3 February 2006

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