FINROSFORUM

FINROSFORUM

FINROSFORUM  //  The Finnish-Russian Civic Forum strives to promote cooperation between the peoples of Finland and Russia by supporting civic initiatives for democracy, human rights, and freedom of speech.

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May 25 / 2:00am

Home-buyers: Do not invest in Russia!

by Kerkko Paananen

Media_httpiimgurcomfr_aiqha

Home-buyers from Russia's northern capital, St Petersburg, have organised a demonstration in connection with the second EU-Russia Innovation Forum in the Finnish border city of Lappeenranta on 25 May 2011. The demonstrators are holding a meeting outside Lappeenranta city hall, urging foreign investors to avoid investments in Russia.

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Filed under  //  Corruption   Demonstration   Economy   Finland   Innovation   Investment   Lappeenranta   Rule of Law   Russia   St Petersburg  
 
Apr 9 / 5:46am

Finland top among Russian tourists

by Kerkko Paananen

Media_httpimgmtv3fimn_ztjez

Finland expects to receive a record number of Russian tourists in summer 2011. "Russia's GDP growth was 4% in 2010 and is expected to reach 4.5% in 2011. This can be seen in traffic, tourism, and shopping tours," Finland's ambassador to Moscow, Matti Anttonen, says.

The number of trips Russians made abroad increased by more than 30% in 2010. The most popular destination was Finland, with 3.3 million visits by Russian tourists. Turkey came in second with around 3 million visits, and Egypt was third with around 2.5 million visits in 2010.

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Filed under  //  Finland   Russia   Schengen   St Petersburg   Tourism   Visa  
 
Dec 9 / 9:50am

Victory in campaign against Gazprom tower

by Kerkko Paananen

Media_httpwwwmr7runet_paiha

St Petersburg's historic skyline looks safe, after Gazprom’s planned sky-scraper has been given the push from the northern capital's centre. St Petersburg City Hall announced that a new place to build will be decided soon. "We have asked builders to present other locations for the building," said Igor Metelsky, deputy governor.

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Filed under  //  Architecture   Gazprom   Russia   St Petersburg   UNESCO  
 
Oct 15 / 7:02am

St Petersburg International Airport in Helsinki?

by Kerkko Paananen
Media_httppanavisionm_whjvg

Finland's Helsinki Airport can become the new international airport for Russia's "northern capital", St Petersburg, YLE News reports. A new high-speed rail link, Allegro, between Helsinki and St Petersburg will allow people from St Petersburg to reach Helsinki Airport faster than Moscow's three international airports. The new express train will shorten the route from St Petersburg to Helsinki to nearly three and a half hours. International traffic from St Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport is limited.

Antti Jaatinen, head of passenger traffic at Finland's railway operator, VR, said the number of passengers on the route between Helsinki and St Petersburg could reach around 700,000 per year in ten years. The Ring Rail Line will have a direct rail connection to Helsinki Airport. The line will go into operation in the middle of 2014. Rail passengers from St Petersburg can then change trains at Tikkurila, close to the airport. There are further plans to reroute trains from St Petersburg via the airport.

http://yle.fi/alueet/helsinki/2010/10/helsinki-vantaasta_pietarin_kansainvalinen_lentokentta_2062643.html

Filed under  //  Airport   Finland   Railway   Russia   St Petersburg  
 
Sep 7 / 2:51am

High-speed rail link between Helsinki and St Petersburg

by Kerkko Paananen
Media_httpwwwkarelian_hunow

A high-speed rail link between Helsinki and St Petersburg will come into service on 12 December 2010. The new rail link, named Allegro, will shorten the journey between Helsinki and St Petersburg at first to three and a half hours and later to three hours, down from the current five and a half hours. The train will stop in Lahti, Kouvola, and Vyborg. Allegro will carry both Finnish and Russian personnel.

The new train will travel at speeds of up to 220 km/h both at the Finnish and Russian side. The train will initially have two departures per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. In 2011, Allegro will have three daily departures from both Helsinki and St Petersburg, replacing the present Sibelius and Repin trains. Later in summer 2010, the train will have four departures per day from both ends.

http://m.yle.fi/w/uutiset/kotimaa/ns-yduu-3-1960431

Filed under  //  Finland   Helsinki   Russia   St Petersburg   Trains  
 
Apr 20 / 1:16pm

Riot police chase soap bubbles

by Kerkko Paananen

Dreamflash2010

Riot police in Russia's city of St Petersburg broke on 18 April 2010 a spontaneous "flash mob" organised to celebrate spring by blowing thousands of soap bubbles. The event -- dubbed "Dream Flash aka Soapy St Pete" -- brought together around 500 youngsters carrying flashy scarves and umbrellas and blowing soap bubbles near the Gorkovskaya metro station.

The flash mob's organisers pointed out that the event was entirely apolitical. Any aggressive behaviour or attempts to use the event for political or other ends have nothing to do with the celebration, the event organisers stressed. Dream Flash promotes no political movement and does not lend support to any cause; the participants came just for a walk.

Riot police announced that the meeting was not sanctioned and called on the participants to disperse immediately. At the same time, a group of young men behaving aggressively, possibly Neo-Nazis, suddenly joined the marchers, began shouting some slogans, and throwing crackers at the crowd. Police then began dispersing people, arresting about a dozen.

Dream Flash is a flash mob organised by the Livejournal community ru_dreamflash in Moscow and St Petersburg. The Soap Bubble March usually takes place in the beginning of April. The event is all about celebrating spring and blowing soap bubbles. It is one of the most popular unofficial events organised in Moscow, and probably in Russia as a whole.

http://www.fontanka.ru/2010/04/18/032/

Filed under  //  Dream Flash   Flash Mob   OMON   Police   Russia   St Petersburg   WTF  
 
Jan 19 / 12:00am

Visa-free cruises between Helsinki and St Petersburg

by Kerkko Paananen
Media_httpstpeterline_xezjz

The Russian-owned shipping company, St Peter Line, plans to begin operating a regular ferry route between Helsinki and St Petersburg in April 2010, Ilta-Sanomat reported. The company's ferry, Princess Maria, will ply the route five times per week. The ship has 600 cabins, and can carry over 1,600 passengers and some 400 cars. St Peter Line expects to carry as many as 500,000 passengers on the route yearly. Cruise tourists can stay in Russia for three days without a visa.

http://www.iltasanomat.fi/matkailu/uutinen.asp?id=1876469

Filed under  //  Finland   Helsinki   Russia   Ship   St Petersburg   Travel