What happened in several apartments and private houses of Finnish MPs? This is the question that is currently troubling Finland. Because the clues that gradually become known are reminiscent of a spy thriller.
Secret home visits, no theft, no signs of break-in, but occasionally an open door or a light left on. Then the perpetrators disappeared again. Not much is known yet, said the President of the Finnish Parliament, Jussi Halla-Aho, at a press conference: "Traces were left in the apartments that the MPs may not have immediately paid attention to. It is possible that these traces were left intentionally so that the resident would notice them." There is no information yet about the motive or the perpetrator.
Number of suspected cases “significant”
The incidents became known when individual members of parliament reported the incident to the security service of the Finnish parliament. The parliamentary administration then asked all MPs. "I can't comment exactly on the number of known suspected cases," said Halla-Aho, "but it is definitely considerable."
The topic is making headlines not only in Finland, but also in neighboring Sweden. Johan Matz researches the work of secret services at Lund University. The method is well known, he says in an interview on Swedish radio: "This is a pattern that we have been observing for a long time in totalitarian, non-democratic states," says Matz. "In this country, people from the opposition or critical journalists are often subjected to such harassment."
"Remember, you are being monitored"
Others are reminded of Soviet times, when this type of home visit was also common for journalists from abroad, as long-time Moscow correspondent Malcom Dixelius reported on Swedish radio: "It happened so often that we had actually gotten used to it. If you weren't at home for a long time, someone was always in the apartment, looking around, sometimes subtly and sometimes quite obviously leaving traces. With the signal: 'We were here. Don't do anything stupid. Remember, you will "We know what you're doing."
The police have now started investigating the current cases in Finland. All 200 MPs had received a letter, explained the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Paula Risiklko. We must now remain vigilant: “It is very important to us that every MP files a criminal complaint,” said Risiklko. All parliamentarians should report any unusual occurrences at their home and contact Parliament's security department.
Is Moscow behind it?
Several media outlets have suggested that Russia could be behind the mysterious home visits.
The Finnish government does not want to commit itself yet, even if Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's statement on current events sounds as if it were also directed against the large neighboring country to the east: "If someone tries to undermine Finland, our sense of security or our support for Ukraine, for example, then it will have exactly the opposite effect," said Orpo. This strengthens cohesion in Parliament and throughout Finland.
Stubb: “Attack on democracy”
Finland's President Alexander Stubb - who is hardly known for alarmist statements - also took up the incidents. He made this statement on the sidelines of the handover of new American fighter jets to the Finnish Air Force: "An attack on a parliamentarian is an attack on democracy. This must not be tolerated in any form, let alone accepted. I stand behind every parliamentarian."
Incidentally, just a few days ago, Stubb caused a stir with a completely different message. We shouldn't let every provocation from Russia drive us crazy, he warned in an interview with the US broadcaster Fox News. Instead, he recommended a little more calmness and - somewhat jokingly - visiting a Finnish sauna.
