Official press releases, news and speeches that the minister has held are located in this section. The Ministry of Defence publishes all of its press releases and news in Finnish and Swedish and many of them in English, too.
Press Releases
Six negative decisions on real estate transactions
On 4 September 2024, Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen signed six negative permit decisions concerning real estate acquisitions by buyers from outside the EU and EEA. The negative decisions concern properties in Mikkeli, Imatra and Kouvola, and three properties in Lieksa.
Real estate transactions in Mikkeli, Lieksa and Imatra were made by private individuals while the transaction in Kouvola was made by a company. Both the private individuals and actual beneficiaries of the company are Russian, Ukrainian and Swiss citizens.
Negative permit decisions are based on the Act on Transfers of Real Estate Requiring Special Permission (470/2019). The Ministry of Defence justifies the decisions by stating, among other things, that it cannot be ruled out that the real estate acquisitions in question could threaten national security and hinder the organisation of national defence or the surveillance and safeguarding of territorial integrity.
A permit may also be denied because of unpaid permit fees or because the intended use of the real estate is not credible.
Inquiries
Any requests for documents should be sent via email to the Registry of the Ministry of Defence at kirjaamo.plm@gov.fi
Requests for further information should be sent to the Media and Communications Unit of the Ministry of Defence at tiedotus.plm@gov.fi