"Tendremos que esperar un tiempo prudencial hasta ver si se obtienen los resultados previstos"

Nombre: Joaquín Sanz Ruíz
Cargo: Bancario del Banco Popular Español en Andalucía

1.- ¿Qué piensa de la propuesta de ley sobre los presupuestos generales del estado?

Todo presupuesto debe ser equitativo entre ingresos y gastos. Si durante los anteriores gobiernos se ha gastado más que se ha ingresado, han provocado un déficit que en el momento actual de crisis mundial que vivimos no podemos soportar. Todo ello ha originado un drástico recorte en los presente presupuestos que debemos asumir.

2.-¿ Podría explicar los puntos más importantes del cambio sobre la ley anterior? ¿Diferencias entre gobiernos?

Desde el punto de vista del que mantiene un trabajo surge la siguiente pregunta ¿Si los que trabajan tiene que mantener a los que están en paro y a estos no se les busca una solución a sus problemas, para que seguir trabajando? Ya me mantendrán sin preocuparme de nada. En España se acude a la oficina de empleo a que le pregunten si ha encontrado algo y a decirle que de memento no tienen nada para él. Ni siquiera le hacen preocuparse por que busque directamente trabajo el parado.

Miss Margaret Thatcher (La dama de hierro) decía que los gobiernos socialistas funcionan muy bien, mientras gastan los remanentes que dejan los gobiernos anteriores. Históricamente todo gobierno socialista que ha perdurado en el poder, ha dejado el país endeudado y con crisis económicas.

3.- ¿Que va a provocar esta reforma?

Efectivamente la reforma laboral planteada no creo que sea perfecta ni que solucione completamente los problemas de paro actuales, si bien se tenía que tomar medidas que alentaran a los empresarios, autónomos e inversionistas para que confiaran a corto y medio plazo sobre la recuperación del país.

Creo que una reforma de este calado ha tenido que ser consensuada con los países más importantes de la U.E. (Alemania y Francia), dado que dependemos de la comunidad para posibles protecciones contra la crisis.

4.- ¿Cuáles son las medidas que más perjudican a los trabajadores? ¿y las que más le benefician?

Quizás la medida más perjudicial que se ha tomado es que si la empresa da perdidas puede reducir su plantilla mediante despido e indemnizando económicamente con una cantidad inferior a la que estaba estipulada con anterioridad.

Pero no se puede uno quedar solamente con una parte de la reforma. Teniendo en cuenta la cantidad de empresas y autónomos que han cerrado sus negocios, es más razonable rebajar parte de su plantilla para salvar la empresa y mantener al resto de los trabajadores en la misma, que condenar a todos al paro. Quizás si esto se hubiese puesto en marcha antes, posiblemente no tendríamos los 5.200.000 parados actuales.

5.-¿ Ha tenido que solventar últimamente alguna situación en la cual este cambio de ley afecte a la solución del problema?

Gracias a Dios no he tenido que vivir directamente ningún caso, si bien he tenido conocimiento de varios y he podido comprobar las dos posturas a la que tiene riesgo esta Ley: La de la empresa que se ha aprovechado de la situación provocando pérdidas, como la de los sindicatos que ha provocado la ruina y el cierre de otras, sin tener en cuenta las repercusiones de sus actos y solamente con la única satisfacción de hundir a un empresario.

6.- ¿Piensa que con la reforma laboral subirá el desempleo?

Creo que lo primero que deberíamos asumir es el espíritu con el que se crea esta ley. Si los empresarios no ven una forma barata de reducir plantillas y aceptan que es una forma de aumentar su producción y penetración en el mercado de su producto y los trabajadores no ven una forma de que esta ley lo único que busca es que puedan ser despedidos y ambos (empresarios y trabajadores) cumplen con su responsabilidades en e trabajo, entiendo que a medio plazo se estabilizará la situación actual y se iniciará una recuperación.

7.-La reforma de regulación de empleo cree que facilitará despidos colectivos?

Nos encontramos ante una reforma que tiene que ser asumida con sentido de la responsabilidad y honradez por todas las partes.

Entiendo que se debería crear un organismo de seguimiento que controlara y garantizara el correcto cumplimiento de la ley, que cumpla con los objetivos y con la filosofía con la que entiendo se ha creado , para evitar abusos por ambas partes.

8.- ¿Cree que van a realizarse más revueltas sociales?

Inevitablemente. Cuando gobierna un partido que no es de izquierdas, en España es habitual.

Pediría a los sindicatos una actuación responsable para poder entre todos salir de esta situación, máxime cuando tenemos más de 5.200.000 parados.

9.- ¿Qué espera de las acciones que van a tomar los sindicatos?

Espero que sean responsables y coherentes con la situación que vivimos.

10- ¿Qué opina de las medidas del gobierno?

El gobierno ha tomado estas decisiones como podría haber tomado otras.

Tendremos que esperar un tiempo prudencial hasta ver si se obtienen los resultados previstos. Posibilidades de otras medidas siempre existen y ninguna tiene una varita mágica que solucionen al 100% los problemas. Son un cúmulo de aptitudes y actitudes las que determinan los resultados de las mismas.

Todos tenemos en mente una serie de posibilidades de cambios que pensamos serían mejores, pero lo cierto que las medidas deben ser tomadas por los gobiernos, sin que se cierren a poderlas modificar si los resultados esperados no se cumplen. No podemos permitirnos gobiernos soberbios ni egoístas.

11.- ¿Cree que estas medidas solucionarán la situación de España?

Las presentes medidas no son una panacea, ni el milagro para todos los problemas.

No mantengo que esta reforma sea la mejor, ni la peor, es una alternativa tomada por el actual gobierno. Debo pensar que ha sido pensada y estudiada detenidamente y que junto a otras medida, esta sea la que le parezca la mejor para poder salir de la situación tan agobiante actual. Si a medio plazo no surtieran los resultados previstos, el gobierno se deberá plantear cambiarlas y tomar otras que entiendan sean más efectivas.

12.- Según Alemania estas medidas van a tener éxito. ¿Qué opina al respecto?

La presente reforma, para mi es muy parecida sino es igual a la tomada en Alemania con la unificación de los estados alemanes. Quizás haya sido recomendada por el conjunto de los países de la U.E. y con su visto bueno.

El tiempo es algo que tendrá que decirnos si la presente reforma podrá iniciar la recuperación que todos los españoles deseamos y poder llegar a la reducción del paro y el relanzamiento de nuestra economía.

Un país con un pequeño índice de paro es un país vivo, activo, con mejoras sociales, con calidad de vida, en definitiva el gran país que esperamos conseguir en España.-

"Ofrecemos la negociación como la solución de todos los conflictos"

Nombre: Javier Ramírez Diez

Cargo: Secretario General de la Federación de Enseñanza

P: Qué piensa de la propuesta de ley sobre los presupuestos generales del estado?

R: Son unos presupuestos restrictivos, antisociales, que a las clases medias y bajas de nuestra sociedad les obligan a realizar esfuerzos mucho mayores que al resto. Crean una fisura importantísima en la Enseñanza de nuestro país con respecto al resto de la OCDE, tanto en financiación como en recursos materiales y humanos, al igual que sucede en Sanidad y dependencia.

P: Podría explicar los puntos más importantes del cambio sobre la ley anterior? Diferencias entre gobiernos?

R: Sobre todo, las diferencias están en la importancia que les dan a las políticas sociales (educación, sanidad y dependencia), el exagerado recorte que hay en la incentivación de la economía mediante obra pública e inversión pública. El desprecio absoluto que proponen ante la I+D+i, con su recorte al igual que la política de becas. Y especial mención merece la amnistía fiscal a los grandes defraudadores en vez de plantear el fortalecimiento de la agencia tributaria y la persecución del fraude como medida de ampliación de la recaudación. Así mismo echamos en falta una reforma fiscal, impuestos a grandes fortunas, bancos, etc.

Todas estas medidas que se plantean en el proyecto de presupuestos son contrarias de las que plantearía un gobierno progresista, que apueste por la distribución equitativa de los esfuerzos.

P: Cuáles son las medidas que más perjudican a los trabajadores? Y las que más les benefician?

R: Beneficiar creo que ninguna. Y en cuanto al perjuicio, creo que el conjunto de ellas las hacen sumamente lesivas a los trabajadores con respecto al resto de contribuyentes.

P: Ha tenido que solventar últimamente alguna situación en la cual el Real Decreto de la Reforma Laboral afecte negativamente al empleo? Podría explicar el caso?

R: Estamos viendo como día a día se están incrementando los despidos por "causas objetivas" alegando las empresas una disminución de los ingresos, indemnizando a los trabajadores con 20 días por año trabajado. Además estamos temiéndonos en varias empresas ERE's de Extinción para "aligerar" las mismas de las personas de mayor antigüedad. Esto antes no sucedía, negociábamos los expedientes de regulación como suspensiones temporales, y explorábamos todas los posibilidades antes de los despidos, pero ahora las empresas tienen una salida más fácil y económica para ellos, creando verdaderos dramas sociales.

P: Piensa que con la reforma laboral subirá el desempleo?

R: Sí, ya lo estamos viendo y sufriendo en muchas empresas, y en las administraciones tanto locales como regionales también se han sumado al carro.

P: Cree que van a realizarse más protestas sociales?

R: Si las políticas del gobierno no varían, comienzan a negociar con los agentes sociales, dan a la Negociación Colectiva la importancia que tiene, y modifican en el trámite parlamentario la gravísima reforma laboral, la movilización de los trabajadores, estudiantes, con los sindicatos a la cabeza, la protesta social estará servida.

P: Cuáles son las acciones que van a tomar los sindicatos?

R: Lo primero instar al Gobierno a negociar, y ofrecer la negociación como la solución de todos los conflictos. Con la carta que Toxo y Méndez le enviaron a Rajoy en este sentido, la pelota está en el alero del Gobierno.

P: Cree que estas medidas solucionarán la situación actual de España? Qué otras medidas, si las tiene, hubiera propuesto?

R: Las políticas del gobierno creemos que son erróneas, que agravan problemas sociales y no solucionan ni a corto ni a medio plazo la situación de los más de 5 millones de parados ni la de aquellos que ven que los suyos penden de un hilo.

La reforma Fiscal, impuestos a las grandes fortunas, una fiscalidad, diferente a las SICAV, una apuesta por la lucha contra el fraude fiscal, para mejorar los ingresos y una reducción del gasto en aquellas cuestiones que no pongan en peligro lo que conocemos como el estado del bienestar (educación, sanidad, dependencia, políticas sociales), como puede ser Defensa.

P: Según Alemania, éstas medidas van a tener éxito, qué opina al respecto?

R: Que Alemania es quien ha hecho, o al menos a dado el visto bueno a los presupuestos. Que son buenos para Alemania, puede ser. Pero creo que todavía somos un estado soberano, y que los alemanes de la CDU conozcan antes los presupuestos que nuestro Parlamento no me gusta nada, no es buena señal. Estos presupuestos no son buenos para España, son malos, antisociales, depresivos, injustos, ... no van a generar ninguna recuperación económica y nos van a hundir más en la depresión económica.

Another pot hole for the Spanish economy

The nationalization of the oil company YPF (Fiscal Oilfields) by the Argentinian government put Spain in the cross-hairs once again at a time when the benchmark index of the Spanish stock exchange (IBEX 35) has toppled more than 2%.

The expropriation of the shares owned by the Spanish subsidiary Repsol has taken place due to a “Decree of Necessity and Urgency”, according to Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. This action has mangled the relationships between the two countries. The Spanish Industry Minister, José Manuel Soria described the measure to expropriate 51% of company shares as “hostility against interests and against Spain”.

Antoni Brufau, chairman of Spanish oil company Repsol, a company that owns a 57.43 percent stake in YPF will call for compensation in international arbitration. He also said that the expropriation of YPF is illegal and announced he is willing to sue Buenos Aires in a hearing to settle the dispute in the World Bank (WB).

The Argentine government´s decision has caused Repsol YPF stocks to take a sharp downturn due to the uncertainty of the situation as a result of the Argentine´s government cutting subsidies and the call for the expropriation of the 51% shares held in IPF. The Argentine government's plans are spurring stock volatility both in New York and Madrid Stock Exchange. Argentina has splintered the “trust with Spain and the international community”, according to Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo. Speculators allude to an area in the south-west of Argentina called “Dead cows” region, where a new stockpile of oil was found, as one of the reasons this law was decreed.

The Argentinian oil company IPF has a long and diverse history since its creation in 1922. In 1992 during the administration of President Carlos Menem (1989-1999) Repsol bought out $15bn worth of shares saving the company from bankruptcy.

The new Argentinian President Kirchner refuses to pay $10bn to the Spanish company Repsol arguing that expropriation is a measure “according to the law and guidelines established by the Constitution of Argentina”. The confrontation amid Respol IPF´s nationalization and Kirchner´s government could necessitate intervention from the international finance community and could be a setback in the Argentina´s economic situation. As Wall Street shows YPF stocks topped the list of biggest percentage price decliners among common stocks on the New York Stock Exchange at the close of April, 18th with a -11.16% ADS.

The Spanish population is highly torn from the latest labor reforms put into place by the new right-wing government coupled with civil unrest in the society. Accompanied with the underlying weakness of Spain´s Banks, it is hard to wonder if Argentina has not just hammered another nail into Spain´s coffin.

Easter, Spanish popular traditions

In Spain a 73,2% of the population are Catholics and the country has a strong Christian tradition. During the first week of April, Catholics celebrate Easter - the most important Christian holiday after Christmas.

In Spain there are a total of 41 considered Holy Week celebrations of National Tourist Interest. It is also visible that Spain celebrates Easter Week much more than most European countries. The Semana Santa (Holy week) refers to the the Christian holy period that runs from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. It is specially important for Catholics and it is one of the most popular religious celebrations in Spain. The Spanish people deeply feel and live the Easter holidays.

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Holy Lent period which remember the humanity that “We came from dust, and we will become dust again” and represents the 40 days of preparation for Holy week in which people realize their sinful situation and gives the opportunity to develop during these forty days of prayer, alms-giving and fasting. Easter ends on Resurrection Sunday of Jesus Christ.

Palm Sunday, an age-old tradition on the first day win which Spain brings out with the mantle for the Christian Holy Week. This day represents, according to the Catholic tradition, the entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. This day is the beginning of the Holy Easter week. During this time, Christians should remember the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The start of this holiday is marked by the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. Palm Sunday is the Sunday prior to that moon, therefore, every year the dates vary.

Festivity and tradition

Easter holidays in Spain takes different forms and has different traditions in in each part of Spain. In the North, in places like in Zamora, Burgos or Valladolid, they have the most ancient traditions where the first processions were held in the fifteenth century. This celebration has particular relevance in southern cities of the peninsula, since people tend to be more devout.

Córdoba, located in the South of Spain in Andalusia, holds a popular tradition for the commemoration of the last days of Jesus´ life. Representations of Jesus and the Virgin Mary are carried on the backs of believers´ in a procession through the streets of the city to show their splendor. They are accompanied by bands, solemn music and dressed to depict the Nazarenes, people from Nazareth. Each procession belongs to a neighborhood church. People go out on the streets to praise the Lord and the Virgin, while the streets are covered in the fog and smell of incense and wax, which is burnt by people performing the procession.

After Easter, Pentecost is celebrated. This represents the “Ascension of the Lord into heaven” and the “Coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles”.

There are many other festivities and celebrations after this period. In the Southeast of Spain, in Alicante, there is a pilgrimage to see the Holy Face a veil at a Monastry which was used to wipe off Christ’s blood. On the other hand, in Seville, Andalusia, people celebrates the pilgrimage of Rocio´s Virgin. Each year millions of pilgrims from around the world begin a journey on foot, horseback or in wagons to get to your destination, the hermitage of Rocio Virgin in a town called Almonte. This year it will take place on May, 27^th. It can be said that the majority of Spanish population feels and moves to the beat of religious holidays throughout the year.

March 29th: Spain´s National Strike against labor reform

Today, Mariano Rajoy, the new Spanish president since past November, faces his first general strike on March 29th, 2012. The economic measures proposed by his government for 2012 have provoked an upsurge among the Spanish population. The unfavorable economic situation which Spain is undergoing is spearheaded by consumption and monetary behaves. These factors are leading the population to the greatest mobilization in social arenas that has been seen in years.

Spain’s government has seen a change in its political ideology from left to right-wing in the previous elections. The political agenda of the new government is aimed to protect entrepreneurs and bankers, leaving aside the biggest losers of the financial crisis, the workers.

"Unite and fight for our future. 29M general strike"

The purpose of the strike is to make the new government rectify its agenda and not to apply their new labor reform that will harm workers’ rights. Unions and workers will rally in a full day general strike to protect labor sector through actions where members of the population will participate in a consumer strike by not buying or hiring any service, not driving or refueling automobiles, not using the public transportation or other services that are not emergencies and minimizing the use of telephone, water, gas and electricity for a day.

Will the general strike get the attention of the new government?

Many videos and comments are circulating through social networks supporting the demonstration by defending social rights. There are blogs that encourage people to support the strike by explaining why it is necessary to attend the movement. There is even a website, where it is possible to make companies public that will not allow its workers to go to the strike.

Strike or not? – Pros and Cons

The Arturo Soria IES assembly gives arguments for the people who do not want to go on strike, such as: “The strike is not a solution”. However, a counter-argument can say: “The strike is not a solution, is the most powerful instrument of pressure that workers currently have at our disposal to enforce our rights in a totally unjustified aggression”. For those who think like: “The strike will be for naught”, the answer could be: “Historically, all improvements of workers have been won through struggles. This strike is only the beginning, but it is a very important step”. And finally, others could say: “Spain can not stand a strike”. However, “what the country can not stand is a labor reform that will not solve the unemployment problem and cause more layoffs and instability in the new contracts. The country can not support tax increases, pay visits of the Pope, F1 circuits, airports without planes, patterns of corruption and privileges of the royal family – and the general strike is the only way to say, enough”.

"On thursday 29th, this establishment will be closed"

According to the Bank of Spain, the Iberian Peninsula continues in economic recession in the first quarter of the year, reaching one of the highest unemployment rates in the Europe with almost five million people out of work in February 2012. This has provoked fed up citizens to go on a general consumption and work strike. The main purpose is to demonstrate against the new labor reforms where measures are aimed to make dismissal cheaper for employers and reduce compensation for unfair dismissal. Also, these measures will incorporate new hiring conditions that will make employment situation more precarious for workers by removing the redundancy payment given to employees when they are layed off. Finally, this new labor reform will allow working conditions to worsen therefore warranting employers to not partake in the collective agreement.

This Royal Decree of labor reform has been ratified in the House of Representatives supported by the representatives of the PP, CiU, UPN and FAC and without the approval of the PSOE, Plural Left, PNV, and UPyD and the rest of the “Mix Group”. A total of 197 deputies against 142 members, respectively.

At the moment, Rajoy and his People’s Party (PP) have lost some support in the past Sunday’s regional elections in the provinces of Andalusia and Asturias. This could mean a negative response to the most recent enacted economic and social cuts. The Spanish population’s response will be observed by the world this coming Thursday, March 29^th to see whether the government will do an about-face on their social and economic reforms or if they will continue their path even though they are facing great resistance from the Spanish population.

Reorienting journalism towards alternative media

Nowadays, traditional practices of journalism have to deal with different forms to reach their audience. New technologies are expanding the possibilities to produce and find free information online, what makes media organization more competitive. Newspapers are threatened by Internet along with the possibility that citizens can give feedback and discuss the news without the control of private or public media institutions.

To understand better this phenomena, pros and cons and consequences, it is necessary to define these new trends of journalism. For that purpose, Stephen Lacy, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and a professor in the Michigan State University Department of Communication and School of Journalism, contributed in this project giving an explanation about what the purpose of citizen sites are and how it does affect the profession of journalism. Lacy explains that,

“Some citizen sites (blogs) are primarily expressions of opinion. A smaller number of citizen sites are news sites, which tend to have the same fact-based approach as commercial news organizations. The difference comes from availability of resources and knowledge of journalism. Our research indicates that citizen site tend to complement not substitute for commercial news organizations. Over time, it is possible that citizen sites might evolve into commercial sites.”

Therefore, based on experts opinions and review of prior literature, it is possible to explain alternative media as a way where citizens become an active audience producing and distributing news content online. However, some questions come into mind where thinking about this phenomena, “Is it a threatened or a complement of professional journalism?” one answer could be that alternative media news-sites can construct a reality that appears to oppose the conventions and representations of the mainstream media.

We know that Internet offers many alternatives for citizens to get knowledge about the world, specially in terms of news web sites, however their interests might not be the same topics as the ones mainstream media news-sites transmit. People delve into the net to know what it is going on in the world within a wider perspective. Therefore, the main interests behind this research project are to know how these alternative news-sites (blogs, independent news sites...) can change or challenge the way citizen are informed.

It is significant to observe how the audience react to the government restrictions of press, and what and how the profession of journalism can change due to the inclusion of the audience as major players in the process of production and dissemination of “news”. There are many differences of freedom of press among countries and since the governments try to control the information published, citizens would need to go beyond media-center protocols and compare, verify and check information in other websites to create a complete picture of the story. Besides, citizens become more than an active audience but producers of information, storytellers, etc with a more important role to play in the information online world.

There are some others key elements that need to be taken into account when talking about online news: access of technology, knowledge about current events or personal motivation can affect the results of why citizen journalism can be more valuable in some countries than others. Naturally, citizens have a word to say in this aspect. Therefore, through surveys conducted among the target group researches will know which factors are seen as more relevant than others where consume information online. Respondents will give the answer and the results will be analyzed in order to compare the freedom situation of news sites in those two countries.

This phenomena could give a new perspective about under what circumstances journalism is developed, what it is the role of governments and what alternatives the journalistic profession has. These can change the way we, the audience, look at journalism only as professional practice or also an activity where everybody can contribute one way or another. The challenge appears whether citizen are well prepare to act as journalists without the respective academic formation.

However, the most important question that really affects journalism is, how can journalism get rid of economic and political pressures from government and media companies?. Only then, we will appreciate a real change in journalistic practices.

The why... because of you...

One day somebody asked me one question, "why did you join us?" As I thought, the answer was easy, at least it seemed : "because I love these countries". I still have the same reasons to corroborate this sentence, however I did not imagine that I will find such a good place, or better said, such a great people... Now I see there is more than I can tell you, because the best feeling is to experience it.

The Scandinavian landscapes are one of the best precious treasures the world can keep. The mountains, the green and white meadows and valleys, the forests and of course its fjords. I fell in love with Norway last year, after living there for 10 months. The greatest time in a long time. I have visited fabulous places, I have hanged out with really cool people from everywhere in the world, and I am glad to say that many of them are still close to my heart.

Border line. Sweden on the left, Norway on the right

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Scandinavian people, specially Norwegians, told me once that they only have two seasons "The green winter, and the white winter" and it is true, they are cold countries, but by cold I also mean that you can really breathe, feel the nature on you, this cool breeze that runs through your body and refreshes you per seconds. What I felt in that moment, it was just freedom. However, these countries have more that wonderful landscapes. The cold weather does not reflect the warm heart of their people. I felt welcome since the first time I met them, I went into their houses, I cooked, partied or played sports with them, and I still do. What to say about their level of life. Great laws about security, natality, jobs, steady economy, high level of education and many other things you must figure out for yourself coming here. I can say Scandinavian countries are some places that you can not afford to miss visiting.

Aarhus, Denmark

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After living in Norway and travel to Sweden and Findland I knew that I had to come here, the last of my lovely Scandinavian countries; Danmark. I finished my BA on Journalism, and I decided to apply for a Master. I knew that two things had to match: Scandinavian place and communication studies. Found it! I am living in Denmark since last August, and I am studying what I wanted, a Maters in Journalism, Media and Globalization, something that I will tell about you other day. The thing is that I came here, and I found also you, "The Youth Goodwill Ambassador Corps". And without hesitating I knew I would join you.

As I said, I thought I knew the answer of the question you told me the first day: "Why...".

However, after three months living here I found something else, I found Denmark deeply nude, I found what its people call "Danish culture", "hygge", but also I found all you "International Youth Ambassadors". Now I can tell you a more complete answer: "I joined you because I want to know everything about you, Denmark, but also because I found that your people fill my every day here"

Thank you for the trip to Copenhage, thanks for the 07/ 12/ 2011 Christmas dinner, and above all, thanks to welcome me to your life, Denmark. It is a pleasure to be here, and of course to share this experience with all of you, my friends.

What to say more... Love you Scandinavia.

Copenhage ------------------------------------------------------------Oslo

Götemborg------------------------------------------------------- Findland