A legal processes is underway for the formal registration of a National Socialist Workers' Party in Finland. The group, which uses Nazi symbols, had intended to put up candidates in the last local elections, and now has plans to participate in the next elections. Its chairman says the party has dozens of Nazi activists around the country.
There were no swastikas seen on campaign posters during the recent Parliamentary elections. However, there could be in the next one. The two-year process for the National Socialist Workers' Party of Finland to gain official legal status has been, however, a complicated one.
The group's original, openly racist party rules have been modified, and it has relinquished the use of a parallel German name. After the revisions, party regulations are innocuous enough to be used by a sewing circle.
Even so, the national Register of Associations has had doubts about the use of "National Socialist" in the party's name.
"Statements of evaluation have been requested about this issue. A decision is expected from the Board of Patents and Registration in May," says Jyrki Ahdeoja of the Register of Associations.
Statements have been requested from authorities including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is charged with interpreting Finland's international treaty obligations. Finland's post-WWII peace treaty included a ban on fascist and paramilitary organisations. For this reasons, groups such as Lotta Svärd, a voluntary auxiliary paramilitary organisation for women, were disbanded.
The Foreign Ministry has not found a reason to forbid the registration of a national socialist party.
"Nothing of a fascist nature was found. We tried to look at how the the organisation's activities are written in its regulations," explains Päivi Kaukoranta, Director General of the Legal Services section of the Finnish Foreign Ministry.
Opposed to non-white immigrants
According to the chairman of the National Socialists, Pekka Luoma, the party's concept is "the people and the fatherland".
"The people is the same as Finland's native, white population. We are struggling against immigration, especially against coloured immigrants," says Luoma.
The groups claims a few dozen Nazi activists around the country. The chairman is a 40 year-old unemployed family man from Satakunta. If permission to register as an association is forthcoming, a drive will be started to gather the signatures of the 5,000 supporters needed to register to take part in elections.
Swastika and Führer
"If a party's leader wants to a Führer, then so what?" says Pekka Luoma.
The party is particularly selective about membership. People of foreign origin have no business being under the swastika.
"If they are not related or do not have blood ties to the Finnish people, the party does not accept them."
Luoma explains that Swedish-speaking Finns and indigenous Sami people fulfil the criteria for membership, but he doesn't take a stand on the matter of membership for Finnish Roma.
The Lotta Svärd was approved for reestablishment only as a cultural organisation. A Nazi Party is possible in Finland under its international treaties. This is due to the global thinking that began in the 90s.
"The freedom of association is a right recognized in very key human rights agreements and in the practice of human rights courts it is established that very few restrictions can be placed upon it," points out the Foreign Ministry's Päivi Kaukoranta.
YLE
Monday, 2 May 2011
Revealed: Vile hate-filled backgrounds of BNP candidates standing for election to Holyrood (UK)
Two BNP brothers standing for Holyrood are today exposed as vile hate-mongers.
Adam and Mark Walker are disgraced former teachers whose shameful conduct cost them their careers.
The Record can reveal BNP third in command, national organiser Adam, has been arrested twice in the last fortnight.
The bigot has referred to immigrants as "filth" and "savage animals".
Mark lost his teaching job after bombarding a 16-year-old girl with inappropriate emails.
The English pair will contest regional lists in Fife and South Scotland on Thursday.
A spokesman for pressure group Spotlight said: "These brothers are among the leading lights of the BNP but they have been sent up to contest an election where they know they have no chance of winning.
"The more you know about them, the more you realise what disarray the BNP are in. They are a bunch of bitter racists."
Adam was quizzed by police over allegations he drove his car at youths before behaving in a threatening manner.
The ex-soldier, from Spennymoor, County Durham, was bailed on April 23 in connection with the incidents, said to have happened as a rightwing group marched.
He was arrested three days earlier at a demo in Wakefield, where he had a heated row with police.
In the past, Walker, 42 - who answers directly to BNP leader Nick Griffin - referred to immigrants as "filth". He posted the comments online while teaching at Houghton Kepier Sports College.
Last year, a General Teaching Council panel cleared him of racial and religious hatred. But Adam had resigned in 2007 shortly after the probe into his conduct.
Brother Mark, 40, lost his job amid a torrent of claims against him.
An employment judge described his behaviour as "scandalous" after hearing about the seedy emails to an ex-pupil and how he watched porn on his laptop at work.
No illegal content was found on the laptop but Walker was slammed for his conduct towards the girl in 2007.
He was sacked for his absenteeism after claiming stress as a result of the action against him.
He lost his appeal against the sacking from Sunnydale Community College, in County Durham.
A hearing ruled that Walker's illness was triggered by his own actions.
Daily Record
Adam and Mark Walker are disgraced former teachers whose shameful conduct cost them their careers.
The Record can reveal BNP third in command, national organiser Adam, has been arrested twice in the last fortnight.
The bigot has referred to immigrants as "filth" and "savage animals".
Mark lost his teaching job after bombarding a 16-year-old girl with inappropriate emails.
The English pair will contest regional lists in Fife and South Scotland on Thursday.
A spokesman for pressure group Spotlight said: "These brothers are among the leading lights of the BNP but they have been sent up to contest an election where they know they have no chance of winning.
"The more you know about them, the more you realise what disarray the BNP are in. They are a bunch of bitter racists."
Adam was quizzed by police over allegations he drove his car at youths before behaving in a threatening manner.
The ex-soldier, from Spennymoor, County Durham, was bailed on April 23 in connection with the incidents, said to have happened as a rightwing group marched.
He was arrested three days earlier at a demo in Wakefield, where he had a heated row with police.
In the past, Walker, 42 - who answers directly to BNP leader Nick Griffin - referred to immigrants as "filth". He posted the comments online while teaching at Houghton Kepier Sports College.
Last year, a General Teaching Council panel cleared him of racial and religious hatred. But Adam had resigned in 2007 shortly after the probe into his conduct.
Brother Mark, 40, lost his job amid a torrent of claims against him.
An employment judge described his behaviour as "scandalous" after hearing about the seedy emails to an ex-pupil and how he watched porn on his laptop at work.
No illegal content was found on the laptop but Walker was slammed for his conduct towards the girl in 2007.
He was sacked for his absenteeism after claiming stress as a result of the action against him.
He lost his appeal against the sacking from Sunnydale Community College, in County Durham.
A hearing ruled that Walker's illness was triggered by his own actions.
Daily Record
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