Finland Times

 

Security Police, or SUPO entrance in Helsinki. Str/Lehtikuva.

Interior Minister Päivi Räsänen has drawn a proposal which envisages transferring the operations of the Finnish security intelligence service-Supo directly under the interior ministry.

 

Currently, Supo’s operations fall under the National Police Board.

 

According to the proposal, Supo will remain a police unit and will not constitute any civilian intelligence authority.

 

Räsänen considers the change a more workable solution with regard to the current situation. Also, the minister deems the transfer necessary because it would improve decision-makers’ ability to steer the operations of Supo.

 

The working group exploring the possibility of transferring the operations of Supo also maintains that Finland at the moment does not need an actual civilian intelligence authority.

 

Instead, considerations should be explored on Supo’s acquisition of new powers on intelligence gathering.

 

Thus, it would be possible to acquire information to combat danger posed on the national security beforehand. The working group suggested that, in that case, it should be possible to acquire information from abroad. This is because state borders have become blurred while Supö’s operational surroundings have become more information technology-oriented.

 

According to Räsänen, the discussion on the matter will resume later when another working group looking at information gathering completes its task. The minister also concurred with the working group’s observation on acquisition of new powers on information gathering, terming it a legitimate need.