Security policy Basic Finns rewrite their foreign and security policy agenda: NATO position “one critical point”

Basic Finns start preparing a new foreign and security policy agenda.

The new program is scheduled to be discussed in party bodies later this year.

Party chairman Riikka Purra According to him, the aim is to raise the profile of basic Finns in foreign and security policy matters.

Party Secretary Arto Luukkanen does not want to say a more detailed timetable for the preparation but promises to complete it well in advance of next year’s parliamentary elections.

“It starts with the basics. Sitting and discussing and bringing things up with a few people. That is where political planning begins. ”

Pressure The sharpening of the international situation and the demands coming from within the party have brought the sharpening of the basic Finns’ program. Security policy is expected to become one of the main themes of next year’s parliamentary elections.

The current security policy program for basic Finns dates back to 2015, ie it was drawn up during the Crimean crisis.

In the old program, among other things, the party’s NATO position is vaguely defined so that the Basic Finns are “a NATO-critical party for which NATO is neither a villain nor a magic word”.

Parliamentary alternate member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Sakari Park (ps) acknowledges that the basic Finnish security policy program is outdated:

“Anyway, it’s high time to update it. I think it needs much more substance and justification and possibly a review of the positions. ”

According to the park, the party’s foreign and security policy positions must adopt more justified guidelines.

For basic Finns in particular, the NATO position has been a partisan issue.

In an opinion poll published by the National Defense Information Planning Board in December, 37 per cent of basic Finns supported Finland’s accession to NATO, 51 per cent opposed and 12 per cent could not say their position.

The park welcomes NATO membership. According to him, the party’s NATO position needs to be updated “without further ado”.

“Yes, I would see that the formulation of the NATO position is important considering the events of recent weeks and months. I think that is one of the critical points, and not necessarily the easiest, because it divides our opinions in the party. ”

Park says that the people of Basic Finland support the current long-term parliamentary co-operation.

Basic Finns have sometimes been accused of being pro-Russian. MPs interviewed by HS see the speeches as slander in the media.

“There’s a lot to want to give such a picture, you can’t get anywhere from it,” says Park.

He stresses that each state has the right to make its own sovereign security solutions, which are “blatantly violated” by Russia’s demands for interests.

Basic Finns former chairman Jussi Halla-aho took a stand on Facebook this week on Russia and NATO membership.

According to Halla-aho, Russia’s goals towards its neighbors are not legitimate and therefore cannot be compromised in a lasting and fair manner.

“It is extremely naive to oppose NATO membership on the grounds that ‘nothing threatens us’ or that with NATO membership Russia would see Finland as a threat to its security. Russia’s actions in Ukraine or other neighboring areas are not due to Russia feeling threatened, but to Russia’s hegemony efforts, which have deep roots in history and psychology, ”Halla-aho wrote.

Parliamentary Group Chairman and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Ville Tavio (ps) reminds that Basic Finns are in favor of the NATO option.

Tavio admits that the NATO position divides the basic Finns, but says that the party has “freedom of opinion” about NATO. He himself is not in favor of NATO membership.

According to Tavio, Russia can push Finland towards NATO membership, but the situation is not so far yet.

“It’s not worth making an exit from a non-NATO West that wouldn’t join NATO,” he says.

“In my view, most basic Finns would not be joining NATO. That has been my argument, however, that it would be a transfer of national sovereignty. I personally see no reason why Finland should go to war with Turkey anywhere. ”

Basic Finns Tavio sees the alleged pro-Russia sentiment as a wave of stamp axes.

“My personal line with Russia is that the Russians now have a strong need to be involved in the game of great power, and they have been somewhat successful in that,” says Tavio.

“However, as my own comment, I have to get along with the neighboring country and the neighboring country has to be monitored and tried to trade with it. However, I see it as an important neighbor in terms of foreign trade. ”

Committee on Foreign Affairs member Tom Packalén (ps) welcomes the fact that the Basic Finns are clarifying their foreign and security policy. He admits that it is not bright and united in the supporters.

“Foreign policy has not traditionally been at the heart of what we have to say. Partly because Finland’s foreign policy has been fairly stable. ”

Packalén says he is an advocate of the NATO option itself.

“If there is a war or a threat of war, NATO is a viable option for us,” he says.

However, he said, now is not the time to join NATO.

According to Packalén, politicians overreact to the international situation.

“I don’t see the threat of war as great. The world can, of course, evolve into such a situation. I don’t see a war coming. We play in the Russian bag because we react so strongly. ”

Instead Basic Finnish MEP Laura Huhtasaari is still pleased with the party’s old security policy agenda.

“In my opinion, the security policy program published by the basic Finns in 2015 regarding Finland’s NATO membership and Finland’s participation in the common defense of the EU is still valid,” Huhtasaari wrote in his e-mail reply to HS.

Huhtasaari says he opposes sending Finnish troops abroad. He also demands that Finland unilaterally withdraw from the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty.