Finland: Siltanews – News Desk
The European Commission Executive Vice-President, Raffaele Fitto, is visiting Finland this week. “We will discuss the situation in Eastern and Northern Finland and ways to boost vitality,” says Petteri Orpo, the Finnish Prime Minister.
Raffaele Fitto, the EU Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, is in Finland from Wednesday to Friday, informs the Finnish Government.
Discussions about the EU’s upcoming multiannual financial framework, the situation at Finland’s border with Russia, and the reform of the union’s cohesion policy are at the top of the agenda.
“The EU’s next multiannual financial framework must take into account the changed geopolitical situation in our neighbourhood and its diverse impacts on Finland. Commissioner Fitto and I will be discussing the situations in Eastern and Northern Finland and ways to boost vitality,” says the Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (National Coalition Party).
The Finnish Government is working on designing programs to strengthen activity and security in the two border regions. The program drafts were up for comment in November, and the final proposals will likely be presented this year.
“Russia’s illegal war of aggression in Ukraine has brought new challenges to our eastern border regions, and we need special funding from the EU to address them. The EU should modernise its cohesion policy in a way that promotes strategic investments, including defense,” states Orpo.
Today, Thursday, Fitto will gain more insight into issues surrounding the border with Russia with a visit to Lappeenranta in southeastern Finland.