A useful relationship based on political sharing goes beyond Scottish interest in Finnish prisons
Last week, the SNP held its annual meeting to discuss the party’s future political direction and agenda. The party has recently strengthened, and a poll released after the conference has shown a majority in favor of Scottish independence.
During the conference, a study was presented which “considers other more successful models for dealing with crime, such as the Finnish model”. Although the number of prisoners in Scotland is reasonably low worldwide, it is higher than in most other Western European countries. By adopting a Finnish approach to the prison system, Scotland hopes to see more effective rehabilitation.
This is just one of the many policy approaches that Scotland and the Nordic countries have shared over the last few years. One example of this, e.g. Douglas Chapman In his reply, the Member of Parliament pointed out my column, there are also baby boxes in Finland. Like a traditional Finnish box, a Scottish box contains many items that are essential for babies, such as clothes, toys and toiletries.
In 2020, a group of Finnish representatives visited Scotland to get acquainted with the country’s mental health.
Tarja Filatovthe head of the delegation said the purpose of the visit was “to learn about Scotland’s mental health policy aimed at improving people’s well-being”. The Finnish delegation met with several groups, including the Mental Health Foundation Scotland.
There is no reason why the development of policy cooperation should not be continued in the future. Personally, I would like more cooperation in the field of tourism. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced an agreement between VisitScotland and Icelandic tourism organizations in 2016. It hoped to ensure that both countries learn from each other in the field of tourism and improve the experience of tourists in both countries. I believe that a similar agreement could be useful for Scotland and Finland. Both countries attract foreign and urban tourists and are eager to develop more sustainable tourism.
It is clear that when Scotland looked to the future and considers independence, it is reflecting on the useful developments it has made in co-operation with Finland. Scotland has every reason to continue this alliance in the future to continue to benefit the development of both countries.
Anthony Heron
Anthony Heron is a Scottish freelance journalist. Having traveled extensively in the region, his expertise is in the political relations between the Nordic countries and his homeland.
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