SPEECH BY PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC MARTTI AHTISAARI TO THE NEW GOVERNMENT AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN HELSINKI ON 15.4.1999

I thank all who contributed to forming the Government for their brisk action and good willingness to cooperate. Those who negotiated the programme for government put in a long day's work. As a result, the country now has a broadly-based majority Government. The negotiations to draft the programme that it will follow in its work were concluded in record time. The programme provides a sound foundation for good coalition cooperation.

Cooperation in coalition over a period of several parliamentary terms gives the work of the new Government a continuity of a kind that should not be downplayed. The solution that has now emerged is a choice by parties that enjoy a large majority in Parliament and represent a majority of voters.

Many of the ministers in the new Government have experience of dealing with matters relating to the European Union. We must ensure that preparatory processing of EU business is as broadly-based as possible and that decisions have the strongest possible national support. This ensures good prospects that the Finnish Presidency of the EU and the challenges of the new millennium will be successfully handled. This is even more important at a time when Finland, the entire EU and the international community face especially big challenges.

The European Union's capability for effective action and its institutions must be strengthened. The process of enlargement of the Union must be kept in motion. The security of citizens must be increased also through measures on the Union level.

Over the long term, peace in the Balkans can be founded only on democracy and a well-functioning economy. All of the states in the region must belong to the European family. The role of the EU will grow after peace has been achieved; it must show that an enlarging Union is the anchor of peace and prosperity in our continent. Without an anchor, ships do not survive in storms.

As I said in my speech to Parliament on 16.3.1999:

"The work that has been done in this decade to improve the state of the economy and public finances has not been an end in itself, nor must it be. Its purpose has been to safeguard and consolidate the prosperity of the Finns. The people who suffered most from recession are those who lost their job or company. Now that we have entered a phase of steady growth, we must take care that the fruits of labour are shared fairly between different regions and people. Everyone in the country who is of working age and capable of doing a job must be employed. There can be no receding from this goal."

I wish the new Government success in its work for the good of the country and citizens. I shall be delighted to give the Government all appropriate support within the parameters of my powers.