Radio Selkouutiset 29 November 2023
Eastern border. Shortage of manpower. Nuclear power plants. Strikes. Weather.
Eastern border
Finland’s eastern border has closed.
The Raja-Joosep international border crossing in Inari closed on the last afternoon at two o’clock.
All border crossings on the eastern border are closed until December 13.
During this time, you can only apply for asylum at ports and airports.
The closure can also be continued after that.
The eastern border is closed because, according to the Finnish government, Russia is transporting asylum seekers to the border.
Around 1,000 asylum seekers have crossed the border between Finland and Russia since the beginning of August.
Labor shortage
Job seekers’ skills and job requirements do not match in Finland.
Vacancies are available, but the skills of unemployed job seekers do not meet the requirements of the positions.
According to the Ministry of Labor and the Economy, there are too few suitable workers in a large part of Finland’s regions.
The social and health sector is particularly affected by the labor shortage. The industry especially needs employees who know how to use digital devices and services.
Nuclear power plants
The production of two nuclear power plants in Finland and Sweden has been interrupted due to a surprising fault.
Olkiluoto 3’s electricity production was interrupted this afternoon when a test was conducted there, says Teollisuuden Voima. The reason for the interruption is being investigated.
In Sweden, the production of the Ringhals 4 nuclear power plant was interrupted last night also for an unknown reason.
If the disruption continues, the price of electricity may increase in the coming days.
Electricity costs a lot in Finland already, about 30 cents per kilowatt hour.
Strikes
Political strikes continue.
SAK’s trade unions continue their industrial action today in Helsinki and elsewhere in Uusimaa.
In Helsinki, the strike includes, among others, employees of the city of Helsinki, which may be reflected in the absence of sandblasting.
The trade unions oppose the weakening of social security and the basic rights of employees planned by the government.
Weather
Tomorrow it will snow in northern Lapland and on the southern coast. The sun shines in places in the central parts of the country. It is around ten degrees below zero in a large part of Finland, five degrees below zero in the south and northern Lapland.