Finland Times

 

Prime Minister Alexander Stubb was addressing the opening session in parliament on Tuesday. Photo Lehtikuva.

Parliament on Tuesday ushered in the autumn term with discussions on the Ukraine crisis and impacts of Russian counter-sanctions among the issues which took the centre stage.

 

Prime Minister Alexander Stubb in his address to parliament said sanctions alone will not solve the crisis in Ukraine but will raise the price for Russia’s actions in destabilising Ukraine.

 

The premier said although sanctions are prepared as ably as it could be, they are never beneficial to any economy.

 

Stubb also allayed fears of the impact of sanctions and explained that the government has made a lot of efforts to ensure that the implications of the sanctions for the country would be as minimal as possible.

 

The premier added that he wants Finland to keep the communication channel with Russia open, despite the difficult times.

 

Russia’s isolation from Europe is of no one’s interest, pointed out Stubb in his address. He reminded that so far the day-to-day activities, such as in tourism, trading, contacts at the municipality level and official communication, have been going on normally.

 

Stubb also defended the sanctions imposed by the European Union against Russia saying an economic intervention in the situation was inevitable, reported Yle.

 

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja spoke in the parliament on Tuesday. Photo Lehtikuva.

Terming parliament as his final platform to defend the country’s role in the EU sanctions against Russia, he pointed out that Russia had violated the principles of international justice and infringed on Ukraine’s territorial integrity by annexing the Crimean peninsula and by destabilising the country, the Yle report said. It also quoted the PM as saying that the economic intervention was unavoidable.

 

“Our fundamental values aren’t for sale,” the prime minister said, the report added.

 

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja believes the worst in the crisis cannot be completely ruled out. In Tuomioja’s view, an analysis of such a thing happening can help to ward off such a situation which he considers both inevitable and possible.

 

Touching on the crisis in Ukraine in parliament, Tuomioja said the basis on which the country’s security is built has not changed, despite the now-emphasised challenges.