User:Cdogsimmons/Finland–Slovenia relations

Finnish-Slovenian relations are foreign relations between Finland and Slovenia. Finland recognised Slovenia on January 17, 1992. Both countries established diplomatic relations on February 17, 1992. Finland has an embassy and an honorary consulate in Ljubljana. Slovenia has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the European Union. Trade relations between the two countries have become stronger in recent years.

Trade
Tensions between the countries rose in late 2008 when a news program on Finland's national broadcasting company station YLE accused Finnish weapons manufacturer Patria of bribing Slovenian officials to secure an arms deals. Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa formally complained to the Finnish ambassador in Ljubljana. The deal with the Slovenian armed forces was signed in December 2006 and included 135 armoured personnel carriers and 120 mm mortars worth some €280 million, according to the largest Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat. On March 26, Slovenia's Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) raided the homes of several suspects involved in the alleged bribery affair. The BCI, which has been working with Finnish and Austrian police authorities, suspects that monies arising from the alleged bribery may have been routed through banks in Austria.

Outside of the Patria deal, the annual trade exchange between the two countries was worth about 150 million Euros.

Trade between Slovenia and Finland was reportedly growing steadily before the beginning of the crisis in 2008 but between January and October 2009, trade fell by almost 30% to EUR 98m. Slovenia's imports exceeded exports, with exports amounting to some EUR 43m while imports stood at EUR 55m.

Bilateral agreements
The two countries have established the following bilateral agreements:
 * Agreement on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations
 * Agreement concerning the Abolition of Visas
 * Agreement on Succession to Treaties Concluded between the Former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Finland
 * Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investments and the Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation in the Fields of Education, Science and Culture
 * The Agreement on International Transport of Passengers and Goods by Road

Official visits
1997
 * Speaker of Parliament Riitta Uosukainen, January
 * Minister for European Affairs Ole Norrback, October

1998
 * Minister for Foreign Affairs Tarja Halonen, March
 * Grand Committee of the Parliament of Finland, November
 * President Martti Ahtisaari, December
 * Minister of Economic Relations and Development of Slovenia Marjan Senjur, June
 * State Secretary of Slovenia Franco Juri, October

1999
 * Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Boris Frlec, November

2001
 * Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja, April

2002
 * Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, January
 * Minister for Foreign Trade of Finland Jari Vilén, September
 * Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Koskinen, September
 * Commerce Committee of the Parliament of Finland, September
 * Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Dimitrij Rupel, September

2003
 * Under- State Secretary of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Jaakko Laajava, October
 * Minister of European Affairs of Slovenia Janez Potočnik, May
 * Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of Slovenia Franci But, May
 * Minister for Information Society of Slovenia Pavel Gantar, May
 * Prime Minister of Slovenia Anton Rop, September

2004
 * Minister of Regional and Municipal Affairs Hannes Manninen, April
 * Minister of Transport and Communications Leena Luhtanen, May
 * Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, September
 * Foreign Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Finland, September
 * State Secretary (Ministry for Foreign Affairs) Arto Mansala, September
 * Speaker of the Grand Committee of the Parliament of Finland Jari Vilén, September
 * President of Slovenia Janez Drnovšek, February
 * Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Dimitrij Rupel, February
 * Minister of the Economy of Slovenia Tea Petrin, February
 * Minister of Education of Slovenia Slavko Gaber, February

2005
 * Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paula Lehtomäki, May
 * Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Dimitrij Rupel, August
 * President of Finland Tarja Halonen, October
 * Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja, December

2006
 * Finnish parliament friendship group, May
 * Jože P. Damijan, April
 * Prime Minister of Slovenia Janež Janša, November

2007
 * Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors, September
 * Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sirkka-Liisa Anttila, September

Multilateral relations
Finland and Slovenia are both members in the United Nations, the European Union, the Eurozone, the Schengen area, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Reference
Category:Bilateral relations of Finland|Slovenia]] Category:Bilateral relations of Slovenia]]