OFFICE president Sauli Niinistö expressed serious doubts about the idea of creating a position of security policy adviser and a special unit for security policy under the Prime Minister.
Referring to the position of the parliamentary committee on constitutional law, the agency said that most of the issues to be discussed in NATO were and will continue to be under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. according to YLE.
The current system, in her opinion, works well, it is based on a clear division of labor and responsibility, as well as clear and reliable cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Therefore, the office does not consider it necessary or expedient to create a new unit under the Prime Minister’s office under the guise of NATO membership,” the statement said.
The division of duties in relation to defense alliance membership is governed by provisions that must be observed to avoid “duplication and unnecessary need for excessive coordination in preparation”. The office concluded that the proposal was premature and excessive and likely based on a “mistaken assumption” of a significant and permanent increase in NATO-related issues that require political management.
President Niinistö commented on the YLE A-talk statement on Thursday.
“We released a statement because it was requested,” he said. said. “I have learned from these professional ministries that there is hardly any need for [the role]. And if I think about my own experience, I must say that the current system works very well.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs similarly rejected the proposal, believing that it could blur the division of duties and redistribute powers from ministries to the prime minister’s office.
The Prime Minister’s Office argued that the Security Policy Adviser and Unit should support the Prime Minister on security policy issues as required by NATO membership. It says the position should be filled as early as this spring to make sure the adviser is up to the task when the next prime minister takes office.
The proposal was interpreted as an attempt to strengthen the prime minister’s role in foreign and security policy.
Alexi Teivainen – HT
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