PM condemns hate speech in New Year's message

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä condemned hate speech in his New Year's message on Monday.

Sipilä mentioned the ongoing investigation of alleged sex crimes by several men of foreign extraction in Oulu, northern Finland.

While claiming violation of law must be taken responsible, Sipilä underlined that the crimes were committed by individuals, not by an ethnic group.

Sipilä also noted that in July 2019 Finland will celebrate 100 years as a republic. When Finland declared independence in 1917, it was first a kingdom, but the German prince chosen to be the king never arrived due to the defeat of Germany in the First World War.

Sipilä said the government to be in place after the general election in April 2019 should aim at an employment level of 75 percent. The current rate is 72 percent. He stressed that high employment is essential for maintaining the welfare state.

Sipilä hoped the parliamentary election campaign would be fair. It should focus on "finding solutions and not on instigating fear".