Erkki Tuomioja oikeassa Nato-keskustelun tasosta Suomessa

NPR:n Frank Langfitt teki haastattelun, joka on kuunneltavissa ja luettavissa tästä.

Erkki Tuomiojan kohdalla nousi pienoinen myrsky vesilasissa, kun hän uskalsi kritisoida mediaa ja on huolissaan julkisen keskustelun tasosta.

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”ERKKI TUOMIOJA: I think there’s a huge degree of emotions involved.

LANGFITT: Erkki Tuomioja is a lawmaker with the Social Democratic Party, whose leader serves as prime minister.

TUOMIOJA: Public opinion plays a big role in this, but there is also this ingrained fear, which is actually fueled also by our media, which is in a state of, I would say, war psychosis in a sense (laughter) that…

LANGFITT: War psychosis.

TUOMIOJA: Yes. I mean, that Finland could any day expect to be attacked – I don’t think this is realistic.

LANGFITT: What do you think are the downsides of joining NATO?

TUOMIOJA: Well, it would create tensions with Russia, obviously. And we have had a very pragmatic relationship with Russia in terms of logistics, environment and regional cooperation.

LANGFITT: Are you concerned that the country could actually take a policy decision based on fear and emotion?

TUOMIOJA: I’m also concerned about the level of the public debate. Anybody who questions membership is being vilified as a Putin agent.”

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Varsinkin tuo viimeinen kohta on tullut erittäin tutuksi täällä Puheenvuorossakin. Jatkan edellisessä blogissani hyväksi havaitsemaani linjaa, eli en aukaise keskusteluosuutta. Kuunnelkaa ja lukekaa Langfittin haastattelu kokonaisuudessaan itse.