Daily Helsingin Sanomat reports on Monday morning that Finland’s government plans to establish a special police task force to tackle human trafficking.
Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo (Green) told HS that the force will initially comprise 20 officers, and that this number should be taken as a sign of the government’s commitment to this "huge human rights issue".
"I hope this sends a message to everyone that this government is taking this seriously," Ohisalo told HS.
Finland was recently criticised in the 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report for a lack of "specialised government personnel" in the areas of human trafficking and worker exploitation, which was leading to a clear drop in the number of cases coming before Finnish courts.
HS writes that the increasing number of suspected human trafficking victims in Finland, which the Finnish Immigration Service Migri reported in July was running into record numbers, does not necessarily mean the problem is getting worse -- but rather that the issue is becoming more widely known and identified, and that victims are more willing to report suspected abuses.
"I hope more and more victims will dare to demand justice and dignified treatment. At the moment, not everyone may trust the authorities. Those on the margins of society need to feel that they can get help," Ohisalo said.
HJK crowned champions, again
Many papers cover Helsinki football club HJK’s triumph -- yet again -- to win the premier league Veikkausliiga title after an impressive 5-0 away victory over IFK Mariehamn on Sunday evening. The game was rescheduled twice after five IFK players tested positive for coronavirus and the entire playing squad had to go into a 10-day quarantine.
The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on this year’s action, with the start of the season initially delayed for three months.
Authorities then decided last week to bring the season to a premature end by cancelling the planned 'Championship Series' which would have seen the six top-ranked teams compete for the title throughout November.
Helsinki tabloid Ilta-Sanomat writes that this latest success is HJK’s 30th top flight title, meaning a third star can be added to the club’s shirt from next season -- one star for every 10 titles. It is also the club’s ninth title in the last 12 years.
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HJK’s nearest competitors on Finnish football’s roll of honours list are Valkeakoski outfit Haka and Helsinki-based HPS, with nine apiece.
IS adds that HJK also won the Finnish Cup this year -- their 14th, also a record -- to complete a league and cup double.
Meteorological Institute issues storm, flood warnings
Tabloid Iltalehti reports that it will be a stormy start to the week, with a low pressure front expected to bring strong wind and driving rain to many parts of the country on Monday.
IL writes that the Finnish Meteorological Institute has issued both storm and flood warnings, with the heavy rainfall forecast for Monday expected to raise water levels in many rivers. According to the institute, the regions most likely to be affected are Southwest Finland, Satakunta, Uusimaa, Southern Ostrobothnia and Ostrobothnia.
The adverse weather will also lead to poor driving conditions throughout Monday, IL adds.
It is not all doom and gloom on the weather front however, as Tampere-based daily Aamulehti writes that once the storm clouds clear the sun will make a comeback, and Finland may even be on course for a new November heat record.
Meteorologist Iiris Viljamaa tells the paper that temperatures are expected to climb as high as 13 or 14 degrees Celsius as dry, warm air fronts will move towards Finland from the Scandinavian mountains near the Swedish-Norwegian border.
Aamulehti notes that the previous record high for November of 14.3 degrees was measured in the municipality of Kemiönsaari, in southwest Finland, in 2015.