Finnish-French MEP criticise Finnish President and Foreign Minister
{{byline|date=February 25, 2005|location=[[w:Paris|Paris]], [[w:Helsinki|Helsinki]]}}
The former Finnish rally driver and current Member of the European Parliament for Grand Sud-Est France, [[w:Ari Vatanen|Ari Vatanen]], harshly criticised Finnish President [[w:Tarja Halonen|Tarja Halonen]] and the current Foreign Minister [[w:Erkki Tuomioja|Erkki Tuomioja]] for having an anti-American stance and maintaining old-fashioned ideologies about defence strategies that hark back to the 1970s, in an article in the [[w:The Wall Street Journal Europe|Wall Street Journal Europe]]. 

The [[w:Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]] member, born in Finland, said that considering that 94% of the nations in the [[w:European Union|EU]] are [[w:North Atlantic Treaty Organisation|NATO]] members, it does not make sense for Finland to not join.

According to Vatanen, when the MEP first tried publish the piece in the [[w:Helsingin Sanomat|Helsingin Sanomat]], the newspaper refused to publish it.

Accondingly Helsingin Sanomat, 57% of Finns are against joining NATO, while 23% are in favour.

Helsingin Sanomat is the main newspaper of Finland and the biggest daily subscription-based newspaper in Scandinavia. The paper is independent and non-aligned. 

{{haveyoursay}}
== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.helsinginsanomat.fi/english/article/1101978684236
 |title=Clear majority of Finns still opposed to NATO membership
 |author=Helsingin Sanomat
 |pub=Helsingin Sanomat
 |date=February 28, 2005}}
*{{blogsource|url=http://finnpundit.blogspot.com/2005/02/helsingin-sanomat-that-mouthpiece-of.html
 |title=Published under the February 23, 2005
 |author=Finnpundit
 |site=Finnpundit
 |date=February 23, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.yle.fi/news/id7674.html
 |title=Vatanen Criticises Finnish Leaders
 |author=
 |pub=YLE
 |date=February 22, 2005}}

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[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:European Union]]
[[Category:Finland]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:European Parliament]]
[[Category:Tarja Halonen]]
The former Finnish rally driver and current Member of the European Parliament for Grand Sud-Est France, Ari Vatanen, harshly criticised Finnish President Tarja Halonen and the current Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja for having an anti-American stance and maintaining old-fashioned ideologies about defence strategies that hark back to the 1970s, in an article in the Wall Street Journal Europe. 

The UMP member, born in Finland, said that considering that 94% of the nations in the EU are NATO members, it does not make sense for Finland to not join.

According to Vatanen, when the MEP first tried publish the piece in the Helsingin Sanomat, the newspaper refused to publish it.

Accondingly Helsingin Sanomat, 57% of Finns are against joining NATO, while 23% are in favour.

Helsingin Sanomat is the main newspaper of Finland and the biggest daily subscription-based newspaper in Scandinavia. The paper is independent and non-aligned.
Politics and conflicts European Union Finland Europe European Parliament Tarja Halonen