Finland’s Prime Minister Parties, but Then Videos Leak

 

"Criticism of the NATO membership-seeking leader, Sanna Marin, 36, over parties she’s attended showed the difficulties of keeping life private in the age of cellphones and social media.

HELSINKI — Sometimes a prime minister just wants to have a little fun.

Last December, Sanna Marin, Finland’s 36-year-old leader, was spotted clubbing in Helsinki with friends into the early morning hours without her official phone, on which she had received a message warning her that she had been exposed to the coronavirus.

She publicly apologized after facing criticism for failing to immediately quarantine.

On Thursday, Ms. Marin was facing more scrutiny in media and political circles after videos leaked to social media showing her dancing energetically, striking poses and singing with friends at private parties.

The chatting on the videos left her facing questions about the possible presence of illegal drugs, with one voice saying, “This gives you a great feeling.” 

But there was no direct evidence that drugs were being used.

Still, that was enough for the opposition leader, Riikka Purra, chair of the Finns Party, perhaps mindful of elections next April, to suggest that Ms. Marin should volunteer to take a drug test.

The dust-up raised the question of whether Ms. Marin, who leads the Social Democratic Party and became one of the world’s youngest prime ministers in December 2019, was being held to a different standard.

In response to the videos, Ms. Marin denied knowledge of any illegal drug use at any party she has attended, telling the Finnish state broadcaster YLE on Thursday that only alcohol was consumed. She said that the parties she has attended were in private residences some weeks ago, and she expressed her displeasure at the latest leak.

“These videos are private,” Ms. Marin said. “They were recorded in private premises. I am displeased that they have been published. What they are about is that I was spending an evening with friends, partying, admittedly boisterously, dancing and singing.”

The parties drew some popular cultural and media personalities, including the singer and songwriter Alma and her sister Anna, the radio personalities Tinni Wikström and Karoliina Tuominen, and Janita Autio, a photographer who took a photo of Ms. Marin at a rock music festival in a leather jacket, shorts and boots that subsequently went viral.

Ms. Marin said that her security officers were on duty when she was at the parties but that they were not inside the residences.

Emilia Palonen, a political scientist at the University of Helsinki, says that it is difficult these days for a prominent politician to have true privacy.

“She surely trusted in the videos not being spread,” Ms. Palonen said. “But one is never free in this day and age. These days videos can be made anywhere and she was clearly aware” that she was being filmed.

That said, in this polarized political climate, Ms. Palonen said, “Her partying can be associated with irresponsibility.”

Indeed, some on social media seized on the videos to suggest it was unbecoming behavior given the problems people are facing today.

Petri Kuittinen, who identified himself on Twitter as a father of four, linked to the leaked video and commented: “Finland is suffering from record high electricity prices, lack of health care & elderly care professionals and this is how our leader is spending her time!”

But Fabian Zuleeg, chief executive of the European Policy Center in Brussels, asked: “Can someone explain to me why it is seen to be in any way a problem that a politician goes to a party and dances (if it doesn’t take place during lockdown that is)?”

Ms. Marin became prime minister after her predecessor had to resign over his handling of a postal workers strike."

Kinija dalyvaus Rusijos karinėse pratybose

„Kinijos liaudies išlaisvinimo armija pareiškė, kad prisijungs prie Rusijos vadovaujamų karinių pratybų per naujausią dviejų JAV varžovių partnerystės demonstraciją.

 

    Remdamiesi „be ribų“ bendradarbiavimo paktu, kurį šiemet pasirašė jų prezidentai, Rusijos ir Kinijos kariuomenės treniruosis kartu Rusijos Tolimuosiuose Rytuose, pranešė Kinijos gynybos ministerija. Šios pratybos bus antrasis bendras jėgos demonstravimas regione šiais metais po to, kai bombonešiai iš kiekvienos šalies gegužę surengė 13 valandų trukmės pratybas pakankamai arti Japonijos ir Pietų Korėjos, kad šios šalys išsiuntė naikintuvus, prezidentui Bidenui lankantis Tokijuje.

 

    Rusijos gynybos ministerija neatsakė į prašymą pakomentuoti pratybas, kurias Maskva numatė rugpjūčio 30–rugsėjo 5 dienomis.

 

    Praėjusį mėnesį Rusijos ministerija pranešė, kad jos Rytų karinės apygardos, esančios prie Kinijos ir Šiaurės Korėjos sienų, daliniai, taip pat oro desantininkai, tolimojo nuotolio aviacijos ir karinio transporto-aviacijos personalas ir įranga dalyvaus mokymo manevruose kartu su karine įranga ir kontingentų iš kitų valstybių, kurių neįvardijo. Ataskaitose, įskaitant Kinijos gynybos ministerijos pareiškimą, teigiama, kad Indija, Baltarusija, Tadžikistanas, Mongolija ir kitos šalys prisijungs. Rusija dalyvių nepatvirtino.

 

    Vasario mėn. Rusijos veiksmai Ukrainoje ir neseniai Taivane surengtos Kinijos tiesioginės ugnies pratybos padidino karinę įtampą, o Maskva ir Pekinas sulaukė Vašingtono kritikos. Anot analitikų, Kinija ir Rusija, o ne formalios sutarčių sąjungininkės, atrodo, pirmiausia siekia bendrų interesų, įskaitant norą subalansuoti JAV dominavimą pasaulyje.

 

    Rusijos specialistė iš Džordžtauno universiteto Angela Stent sakė, kad pratybose greičiausiai bus tikrinama, ar kokie yra Rusijos kovinio pajėgumo požymiai. „Žinutė bus tokia, kad Vakarai mus kritikavo ir sankcionavo, bet turime daugybę kitų šalių, kurios yra partneriai. Mes nesame izoliuoti“, – sakė ji.

 

    JAV valstybės departamento atstovas pažymėjo, kad dauguma dalyvaujančių šalių taip pat reguliariai dalyvauja pratybose su JAV. "Mes nieko negalvojame apie jų įsipareigojimus šiai veiklai", - sakė Nedas Price'as.

 

    Kinija atsisakė kritikuoti ar viešai pritarti Rusijos veiksmams Ukrainoje, kurie prasidėjo netrukus po to, kai Kinijos lyderis Xi Jinpingas Pekine priėmė savo Rusijos kolegą Vladimirą Putiną ir jie pasirašė ilgą bendrą pareiškimą, atmetantį JAV vadovaujamą pasaulinę politinę tvarką. Po to, kai Pekinas šį mėnesį įvykdė galimą karinę Taivano blokadą, reaguodamas į Atstovų Rūmų pirmininkės Nancy Pelosi apsilankymą saloje, Kremlius apkaltino JAV dėl įtampos padidėjimo." [1]

1. World News: China Will Participate in Russian Military Exercises
Areddy, James T; Simmons, Ann M. 
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 18 Aug 2022: A.7.

China Will Participate in Russian Military Exercises

"The People's Liberation Army of China said it would join military exercises led by Russia in the latest demonstration of partnership between the two U.S. rivals.

Building on a "no limits" pact their presidents signed this year, the Russian and Chinese militaries will drill side-by-side in the Russian Far East, said China's Ministry of Defense. The exercises will mark their second joint show of force in the region this year after bombers from each country in May conducted a 13-hour drill close enough to Japan and South Korea that those nations scrambled jet fighters, as President Biden was visiting Tokyo.

Russia's Ministry of Defense didn't respond to a request for comment on the exercises, which Moscow set for Aug. 30 to Sept. 5.

Last month, the Russian ministry said units of its Eastern Military District, near the borders of China and North Korea, as well as airborne, long-range aviation and military transport-aviation personnel and equipment, would participate in training maneuvers, along with military contingents from other states it didn't name. Reports, including China's Defense Ministry statement, said India, Belarus, Tajikistan, Mongolia and other nations would join. Russia hasn't confirmed the participants.

The Russian action in Ukraine in February, and recent Chinese live-fire exercises around Taiwan, have elevated military tensions and put both Moscow and Beijing on the receiving end of criticism from Washington. Rather than formal treaty allies, China and Russia appear aligned primarily over shared interests, including a desire to check global dominance of the U.S., according to analysts.

A Russia specialist at Georgetown University, Angela Stent, said the exercises are likely to be scrutinized for signs of Russia's fighting capability. "The message will be, we have been criticized and sanctioned by the West but we have a range of other countries that are partners. We are not isolated," she said.

A spokesman for the U.S. State Department noted that most of the countries involved routinely participate in exercises with the U.S. as well. "We don't read anything into their engagements in this activity," Ned Price said.

China has declined to criticize or publicly endorse Russia's action in Ukraine, which began shortly after Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosted his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Beijing and they signed a lengthy joint statement that rejected the U.S.-led global political order. After Beijing practiced a possible military blockade of Taiwan this month in response to a visit to the island by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Kremlin blamed the U.S. for heightening tensions." [1]

1. World News: China Will Participate in Russian Military Exercises
Areddy, James T; Simmons, Ann M. 
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 18 Aug 2022: A.7.